People experiencing homelessness will have a new resource in Saratoga Springs next year.

“The plan has been a dream of ours to be here,” Shelters of Saratoga Executive Director Duane Vaughn said.

A permanent shelter will soon open in the Spa City, and it's billed "low barrier,” meaning there won't be many conditions for people looking for help.

“Critical to the success of moving people out of homelessness is to have the proper tools and funding to tackle this daunting task,” Vaughn said.

One of the biggest tools is a reliable facility. The space at 5 Williams St., which is currently occupied by the Saratoga Senior Center, will be transformed into a shelter and navigation center.

“Where staff and volunteers can build relationships and trust of our most vulnerable populations,” Vaughn said.

Having resources standing by 24/7 and under one roof will be invaluable during the winter months, advocates said.

“We’re not going to need Code Blue,” said Saratoga Springs Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Tara Gaston. “We’re going to have a system in place that everyone has shelter and the care that they need at that time.”

The city’s senior center will relocate to the Saratoga Springs YMCA’s new facility, thanks in large part to a $3 million donation from Stewart’s Shops.

“I think we have to recognize that seniors are living longer, they’re staying more active,” Stewart's Shops Chairman William Dake. “And this process will be a benefit for both.”

Plans to repurpose the space are being finalized with work expected to begin early next year. Plans could eventually include a transitional housing option for people experiencing homelessness.

“We’ve had some schematics done, and we believe that there is a possibility of actually doing that on this site,” Mayor Ron Kim said. “We’ll be exploring that in the next year or so.”