About
Housing is the foundation of strong families, thriving neighborhoods, and a prosperous city. Homeownership fosters stability, builds generational wealth, and creates a sense of pride in our communities. That’s why we are committed to expanding homeownership opportunities and ensuring access to quality, affordable housing for Rochester residents.
Through strategic partnerships, innovative programs, and direct investment, we are creating new pathways to increase homeownership. By working with local, regional and state partners, we are making it easier for residents to buy and rehabilitate homes, access financial assistance, and build a future right here in our city.
We invite you to be part of this movement. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer, a community advocate, or a partner organization, your involvement is essential to making Rochester a place where homeownership is within reach for all.
Contact:
Housing Division
Housing rehabilitation programs
The City of Rochester offers a range of housing rehabilitation programs designed to support homeowners who own residential property in Rochester.
The City of Rochester, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program, HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, U.S. Department of the Treasury Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery funds, New York State Affordable Housing Corporation, and New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation funds the programs offered:
Partnerships
Partnering with community-based housing agencies to offer pre-purchase education and financial counseling.
Housing RFPs
RFP: Landlord Tenant Services
The City of Rochester is seeking proposals from a qualified Consultant(s) to administer a Landlord Tenant Services Program, comprised of an array of activities that may include information and referral, legal advice or representation, and training for both tenants and housing providers/property managers.
Questions on the proposal are due by March 7, 2025. Answers will be posted here by Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Submissions are due by 4:00pm on Friday, April 4, 2025.
RFP: Legal Services for Seniors
The City of Rochester is seeking proposals from a qualified Consultant(s) to provide assistance with legal services for the elderly that would improve their quality of life, including wills and advance directives, family law, and consumer issues.
Questions on the proposal are due by March 7, 2025. Answers will be posted here by Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Submissions are due by 4:00pm on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Preventing and Addressing Homelessness
The Housing Division works closely with local homeless service providers, housing providers, and funders to prevent homelessness, rapidly re-house individuals and families who become homeless, and support appropriate services available for individuals and families facing homelessness by:
Affordable Housing Development
The Housing Division works with developers, rental property owners and managers, as well as community-based organizations to create and sustain affordable, supportive, and senior housing developments in Rochester. The Housing Division coordinates a competitive RFP process to provide resources to sustain or create new affordable housing developments. Click here to view the Fall 2023 Affordable Housing Development RFP. However, it is recommended that potential developers of affordable housing reach out to the Housing Division at any time of the year, in advance of the release of the RFP, to discuss proposed projects and City resources that may be available.
Click here for examples of recently completed projects.
Mixed-Use Housing Development
The Bureau of Business and Housing Development's Project Development division facilitates the revitalization of the city of Rochester through redevelopment planning processes, the development of vacant and underutilized property, and the renovation of vacant and underutilized buildings through the following:
Providing loan funding for projects
Providing loan funding for projects: The City can provide gap financing for eligible mixed-use development projects. Typical assistance is no more than 10% of total development costs.
Small Mixed-Use and Commercial Renovation program
Small Mixed-Use and Commercial Renovation program: The City can provide low-interest loans of up to $250,000 for the renovation of small commercial and mixed-use buildings. Click here for program terms and contact Anne DaSilva Tella, Director of Development at Anne.DaSilvaTella@CityofRochester.Gov for more information.
Applying for and administering grants and/or loans from other funding agencies
The College Town development and the Seneca Building are examples of this. College Town utilized the HUD Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program and returned an underutilized site to a productive use through the creation of a 14-acre district. The College Town project created 154 housing units and 270,000 square feet of hotel, office, and retail space.
Facilitating the City's PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) Process
Facilitating the City's PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) Process: Click here for the PILOT Application. *To be awarded a Shelter Rent PILOT, you must respond to the annual Housing Development RFP prior to completing the PILOT application*
Tax Incentive Programs
For information about tax incentives for mixed-income housing development including the Core Housing Owner Incentive Exemption (CHOICE) for new owner-occupied residential units, the Conversion Urban Exemption Program (CUE) for the conversion of underutilized commercial buildings to mixed-use in Center City, Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs), and other tax incentive programs, please visit the Project Development division's webpage.
Housing Quality Task Force
In 2022 Mayor Evans convened a Housing Quality Task Force, consisting of housing advocates and providers and government and non-profit leaders to develop policies and programs to improve and enhance housing quality in Rochester.
Plans and Studies
The Housing Division works with community partners and other city staff teams on a variety of housing and neighborhood development studies and plans, some citywide and others within specific neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Specific
- East Main Arts and Market District Plan
- JOSANA Master Plan
- Marketview Heights Urban Renewal District Plan
Related City Pages
The Housing Division works closely with many other staff teams within Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD), as well as throughout city government. Below are links to some of the teams we work most closely with, as well as to pages closely related to our housing work and neighborhood improvement goals:
Other Local, State, and National Partner Agencies
The Housing Division works with a wide variety of individuals and partner organizations to fulfill its mission. Some of our other regular partners include the following local, state, and federal agencies:
- Rochester Housing Authority (RHA)
- Monroe County Department of Human Services (DHS)
- Monroe County Department of Planning and Development
- NYS Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation
- NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR)
- US Department of Housing and Urban Renewal (HUD)