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Council discusses addendum to extend RISE Housing lease at 5 Williams Street; month-to-month language debated
Summary
The City of Saratoga Springs discussed a proposed addendum to the lease for 5 Williams Street that would allow RISE Housing and Support Services to remain in the building while its replacement is under construction.
The City of Saratoga Springs discussed a proposed addendum to the lease for 5 Williams Street that would allow RISE Housing and Support Services to remain in the building while its replacement is under construction.
The addendum, which the mayor said will be added to tomorrow’s agenda for discussion and a vote, would extend RISE’s occupancy so the organization is not displaced while its new structure is completed. City staff said the tenant suffered drywall damage in a spring storm when the replacement building was not fully enclosed and has not yet been able to move into the new building.
City officials and council members debated whether the addendum should include a strict termination date of Dec. 31, 2025, or explicitly allow month-to-month extensions after that date. One council member said the request reflected a practical need for more time; another raised concern that a month-to-month clause could tie up the property and complicate future sale or reuse.
City staff explained that the current release does not contain an extension provision but that the city’s request for proposals (RFP) language did allow extensions. Staff also said the existing occupancy is on a month-to-month basis and that, procedurally, the city can add an addendum while that month-to-month holdover exists.
No final vote was taken during the current session; the mayor said the addendum will be discussed and voted on at the next meeting.
The council’s discussion included these clarifying points: RISE is expected to vacate after construction is complete (the council indicated a target of late fall/early winter), the existing instrument currently operates month to month, and the proposed addendum would formalize the extension while construction is finished. The city noted it does not intend to bring the matter back repeatedly and prefers language that closes out the matter after the agreed end date.
The matter remains on the agenda for the council’s next convening for formal action.
