RISE’s Intemperate Threat To City Fails

I have long admired the work of Rise Housing and Supportive Services in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. I was stunned when Sybil Newell, the executive director of RISE, issued an ultimatum to the city on April 29, stating that unless the city committed to funding them in 2026, they would shutter their shelter on June 3. This is despite its contract with the city that runs until the end of 2025 and requires a sixty-day cancellation notice. Of course, June 3 is the day before the “Belmont Stakes Festival” begins in Saratoga Springs.

As observed by a May 10, 2025, Daily Gazette editorial, RISE was, in effect, weaponizing its clients. They also stumbled into a partisan mess, as evidenced by how Mayoral candidate Michele Madigan grabbed and abused the issue. (Madigan’s involvement in this matter will be covered in a future post)

Ms. Newell was not shy about why she chose June 3 to abruptly close the RISE shelter.

Sybil Newell, executive director of RISE, told the Gazette:

“…Newell said, deciding on a June 3 closure date was intentional in part because it wouldn’t potentially leave unhoused individuals scrambling during the winter months, but also because of the proximity to the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and coverage of the event.”

Daily Gazette May 8, 2025

The optics of this are bad enough, but worse, it entangled RISE in Michele Madigan’s campaign for Mayor. Madigan has gone over the top, falsely attacking her opponent, current Mayor John Safford, through social media, accusing him of prioritizing jail rather than services for the homeless. Madigan’s intemperate and outlandish representations will damage her credibility and the mud-generated splatters on RISE.

As if all of this were not bad enough, RISE seemed oblivious to the city’s requirements set forth by its charter and procurement policies. These provisions guaranteed that their threat would fail to achieve their goal of obtaining a commitment from the city to fund them through 2026.

A Demand the City Cannot Meet

As Department of Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall observed, any pledge the city might make now to fund RISE in 2026 will not be enforceable.

The city charter requires that the city identify the funding for any item before it can be purchased or contracted for. This process is typically done through the budgeting process for the following year.

Section 4.4.13 of the city charter reads:

Payments prohibited. 

It shall not be lawful for any City employee to incur or contract any expense or liability for or on behalf of the City, unless the Council has made an appropriation concerning such expenses. No payment shall be made or obligation incurred against any allotment or appropriation except and unless the Commissioner of Finance first certifies that sufficient funds are or will be available to cover the claim or meet the obligation when it becomes due and payable. Any authorization of payment or incurring of obligation in violation of the provisions of the Charter shall be void.

So, to be clear, the city cannot simply pass a resolution funding RISE for next year. The City Charter requires the Commissioner of Finance to certify that the city will have the funds to pay RISE for whatever amount they seek in 2026. At the May 6, 2025, City Council meeting, Mayor John Safford asked Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi if she could provide a guarantee.

At the Council table, Commissioner Sanghvi attempted to confuse the issue by reeling off all the income she thought (hoped?) the city would have next year to cover the cost of what RISE is asking for. Unfortunately for Sanghvi, when pressed by the Mayor on whether she could guarantee that the city would have the money in 2026 to fund RISE and meet the city’s other obligations, she admitted she could not give such an assurance.

Sanghvi’s response, as seen in this video from the meeting, is to oddly try to put words in the Mayor’s mouth, suggesting he doesn’t want to fund RISE in 2026. After admitting that he had said no such thing, she concedes that she will not be making any financial projections until she makes the budget in October.

In this second video, City Attorney Tony Izzo explains the charter provision.

Looking For Support

In her letter on behalf of RISE, Sybil Newell wrote

Despite public declarations that addressing homelessness is a priority, it has since been made clear to RISE that the City either will not or cannot continue funding the Adelphi Street shelter past this year.

Sybil Newell April 29, 2025

I could find no public record of any of the Council members precluding funding for RISE for next year.

I spoke to Mayor Safford about this. He told me that he met with Ms. Newell and conceded that he expressed reservations to her about how much, if any, the city could fund RISE for next year.

Mayor Safford told me he was reluctant to commit for next year outside of the budgeting process because of his concerns. This is consistent with Commissioner Sanghvi’s unwillingness to certify that there is money until the budget for next year can be crafted.

Oh, Yes, There is Also the Problem With The Contract

RISE has a contract with the city that runs through 2025. Unfortunately, the contract has no renewal clause. Without such a clause, city purchasing practices require that when the contract ends, to continue the services, the city must issue a new Request For Proposals (RFP)to select a vendor competitively.

This means that the city cannot commit to RISE until it has published a Request for Proposals (RFP), received proposals from interested vendors, and selected a winner.

RISE’S Precarious Situation

Making matters even more fraught, RISE’s lease for its current shelter location expires on December 31, 2025, and it does not contain a provision for a renewal. In fact, at the May 20 council meeting, Dillon told his colleagues that RISE would be unable to use its existing site next year. It would make no sense for the city to contract with RISE without some assurance that they have a secure location for next year.

RISE’s Threat Makes No Sense

So without:

• A lease on a facility for next year,
• Commissioner Sanghvi’s certification that the city will have the hundreds of thousands of dollars being requested,
• the RFP process being completed to select a vendor for a shelter,

the city cannot agree to RISE’s ultimatum. This blogger cannot understand why Ms. Newell would create this level of controversy and tension when any thoughtful analysis would have made clear her demands could not be met.

Moran’s RFP

At the May 20 Saratoga Springs City Council meeting, Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran announced that he had issued an RFP for an agency to operate a shelter for 2026. The worst-kept secret in the city is that the RFP is designed for RISE, but because an RFP is supposed to be competitive, Moran plays fast and loose in describing it.

The ten thousand pound guerrilla in the room is that RISE has no location to run a shelter after the end of this year. The RFP says that the city will select a location. Public Works Commissioner Chuck Marshall asks Dillon where this location is. The result of his question is classic Dillon Moran. Moran responds with a series of non-sequiturs and then simply tells Marshall the conversation is over. He never addresses Marshall’s question.

It is important to note that the city’s RFP, which has just been issued, has a response due date of June 10. Without a secured facility beyond December 31, how can RISE calculate the costs of maintaining a future facility? If there is rent, how much would that rent be? If they were to own a building, how much would it cost for electricity, heat, etc.? How can they submit a budget responding to the RFP with so many unknowns?

RISE Tries To Spin All This

At the meeting, the Council members talked about working toward a solution, but no one stated that the city would agree to RISE’s demand to fund them in 2026.

Despite this, RISE claims a victory lap. It told the Saratogian:

“RISE extends our sincere gratitude to the City of Saratoga Springs for hearing our concerns and taking meaningful action at a critical moment,” RISE said in the release. “RISE is also appreciative of the community for standing behind this essential work. Together, we are shaping a more inclusive and compassionate future for all.”

Saratogian May 20, 2025

City Council Members Try To Find A Way Forward

Representatives from the Mayor’s Department and the City Council have been meeting with representatives from RISE and Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) to try to develop a sustainable program for 2026 to meet the complex needs of the homeless. SOS has an agreement to provide emergency housing to the homeless in the winter as part of the Code Blue program. Code Blue was set up by the state following the death of a young woman in Saratoga Springs who died of exposure during a winter some years ago. Saratoga County has purchased land across from Market32 on Ballston Avenue for the SOS shelter. SOS has successfully raised money to build a facility on the land. The county has agreed to fund the operation during the winter using funds received from the state. The hope is to bring these two organizations together to develop a comprehensive solution that the Council can work with.

RISE Needs To Show More Prudence

It pains me to criticize RISE. Their work is enormously important. I want them to continue this important work, especially with Judge Vero’s Outreach Court and their help in embedding peer to peer counselors with the police who interact with the homeless.

I encourage readers to look beyond this unfortunate business and to continue to support RISE. They have helped so many people recover their lives. They provide critical housing to an important population.