Saratoga Springs homeless shelter recommendation heads to city council

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Saratoga Springs City Council is one step closer to addressing the needs of its homeless population. The Saratoga Homeless Task Force voted to recommend a new low barrier homeless shelter.

In an unanimous vote, they recommended a location on Lake Avenue near the Northway overpass. The location was controversial for some task force members as the area doesn't have sidewalks, crosswalks or bus stops nearby.

A task force member said some of the difficulty in picking a location was due to homeless shelters not able to be placed within 1,000 feet of a school.

Mayor-elect John Safford and the city council will hear from the task force in a council meeting in 2024 to determine the next steps for the shelter.