City Council
News Release
(Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015) -- The Rochester City Council will be holding a Public Input Forum regarding the draft Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) Waiver Amendment that the Administration would like to submit to the Council for consideration. This forum will be held on Thursday, November 19, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located at 30 Church Street in Downtown Rochester.
“The City Council is asking that Rochester residents provide comment on a C of O Interior Inspection Waiver,” said City Council President Loretta Scott, “one of the City Council’s priorities is rebuilding and strengthening neighborhood housing and your input on topics like the C of O is critical to this goal.”
The City of Rochester’s renewable C of O program ensures that all residents in rental dwellings are provided safe and habitable housing. The program requires interior inspections of the entire structure, both interior and exterior. On rare occasions occupants do not consent to the interior inspection of their unit. This proposal attempts to find a compromise for that issue while not sacrificing the protection of others and the integrity of the C of O program.
Under the proposed guidelines, an adult occupant residing in a single family rental dwelling could obtain a waiver of the interior portion of the C of O inspection as long as the dwelling meets all of the necessary criteria. In this scenario the C of O would be required to be renewed after three years, rather than the usual six-year term. This will provide a systematic means of monitoring a change in tenancy.
“We have been working with residents and neighborhood associations for a long time to make sure that our City has stable neighborhoods, and that tenants and owners alike have access to safe and decent housing,” said Carla Palumbo, Chair of the Neighborhood and Business Development Committee. “I think this hearing will give us more insight as to what neighbors are thinking. We want a strong C of O program that protects a resident’s right to safe housing, and we feel that input from Rochesterians is essential to this process.”
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Media Contact: Andrea Guzzetta, (585) 428-7538