An emergency housing facility in Ulster County suddenly closed its doors on Monday, leaving 20 residents scrambling to find somewhere to live.

Samadhi Refuge in Saugerties provided space for those dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse. It opened its doors in January of 2023 and was credited with keeping a vulnerable population off the streets.

The Ulster County comptroller recently found “severe” financial problems with Samadhi, which worked with Ulster County on contracts to provide assistance like housing at the Saugerties site. Samadhi has countered it implemented policies to fix any issues after the comptroller's initial assessment. 

County Legislator and Samadhi board president Kathy Nolan said more than $400,000 is owed to the nonprofit by the county Department of Social Services. She said Samadhi made the decision to close the living space after being informed the county would not pay because of issues with requirements being met by the people who lived there. 

County Executive Jen Metzger released a statement.

"Our dedicated team at the Ulster County Department of Social Services has been at the site today assisting people who find themselves suddenly without a place to stay. We are focused on getting people the assistance they need and helping them get rehoused as quickly and seamlessly as possible,” she said.

Nolan said two people have found a new place to live, one refused and 17 are homeless. She called it an example of how the current system is not well set up to provide stable housing.