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City of Rochester Approved Contractor List

We invite contractors to complete a contractor application if they would like to be included in the City’s list of contractors approved for our programs. If you are a contractor and would like to be added to the City’s list of approved contractors list for our programs, we encourage you to complete a contractor application.  

Minority and Woman-owned Business Enterprises are encouraged to apply. Please contact Sylvia Dobbs at 585-428-6207 or send an email to Sylvia.Dobbs@cityofrochester.gov if you have any questions.

Emergency Assistance Program (EAP)

The City’s EAP program provides financial assistance to eligible owner-occupants who own a residential property to help with furnaces, boilers, and water heaters.  

The City may authorize additional work to install these items; however, the City reserves the right to cancel projects whose costs go beyond the program's purpose.

Program eligibility

• Only owner-occupants can apply.
• Applicants must be the legal owner of the property. You may be ineligible for the program(s) if the deed to the property lists multiple owners who do not reside in the property.
• Total household income must be at or below 80% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• Property owners must be code-compliant with all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• City of Rochester and Monroe County taxes must be current and not subject to foreclosure or if the owner is on a tax agreement, the owner must be current with payments throughout the entire application process. Including all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• Mortgage payments must be current and not subject to foreclosure.

Housing Rehabilitation Program

The City’s Rehabilitation Program provides financial assistance to eligible owner-occupants who own a one to four-family residential property to help with home repairs. The City will prioritize the program funding to neighborhoods where housing development projects are located to eliminate blight and hazards.  

Eligible repairs include those to address lead-based paint hazards, health and safety hazards, and code violations. The City reserves the right to cancel projects whose costs go beyond the program's purpose.

Program eligibility

• Only owner-occupants can apply;
• Applicants must be the owner of the property. You may be ineligible for the program(s) if the deed to the property lists multiple owners who do not reside in the property.
• Total household income must be at or below 80% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• Property owners must be code-compliant with all properties owned in the city of Rochester
• City of Rochester and Monroe County taxes must be current and not subject to foreclosure or if the owner is on a tax agreement, the owner must be current with payments throughout the entire application process. Including all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• Mortgage payments must be current and not subject to foreclosure.
• Depending on the funding source, owner-occupants must sign a Program Agreement, note and mortgage, or other legal document to secure the program funds for a term of 5 years or longer.

Roof Program for Owner-Occupants

The City’s Roof program provides financial assistance to eligible owner-occupants of a one or two-family residential property to assist with roof replacement, gutters, downspouts, chimney repair or replacement, soffits, and venting.  

The City will prioritize funding to seniors 62 years of age or older. The City reserves the right to cancel projects whose costs go beyond the program's purpose.

Program eligibility

• Only owner-occupants can apply.
• Applicants must be the owner of the property. You may be ineligible for the program(s) if the deed to the property lists multiple owners who do not reside in the property.
• Total household income must be at or below 80% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• Property owners must be code-compliant with all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• City of Rochester and Monroe County taxes must be current and not subject to foreclosure or if the owner is on a tax agreement, the owner must be current with payments throughout the entire application process. Including all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• Mortgage payments must be current and not subject to foreclosure.
• Depending on the funding source, owner-occupants must sign a Program Agreement, note and mortgage, or other legal document to secure the program funds for a term of 5 years or longer.

Lead Hazard Control Program (LHCP)

The City’s LHCP program offers financial assistance to eligible homeowners of one to four-family residential structure(s) built before 1978 to remediate lead hazards. The purpose of the program is to address lead-based paint hazards in homes where children under the age of six (6) reside, to reduce the incidence of child lead poisoning. 

Only lead-based paint hazards identified in a lead-based paint inspection and risk assessment report will be covered with program funds.  Examples of eligible repairs may include window and door replacement, siding, porch repair or replacement, painting, and soil remediation.  The City reserves the right to cancel projects whose costs go beyond the program's purpose.

Program eligibility

• Property must be in good condition. Properties that are fire-damaged, structurally unsound or severely neglected are not eligible for the program.
• Applicants must be the owner of the property. You may be ineligible for the program(s) if the deed to the property lists multiple owners who do not reside in the property.
• Total household income for owner-occupants must be at or below 80% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• The total household income for tenants must be at or below 50% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• Owner-occupants must have a child or a visiting child under the age of six (6). The owner must provide proof of the child’s relationship by providing a copy of the parent and child’s birth certificate.
• Property owners must be code-compliant with all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• City of Rochester and Monroe County taxes must be current and not subject to foreclosure or if the owner is on a tax agreement, the owner must be current with payments throughout the entire application process. Including all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• Property owner must be current on mortgage payments and not subject to foreclosure;
• Landlords are required to pay 10% of the total project cost.
• Depending on the funding source, property owners must sign a Program Agreement, note and mortgage, or other legal document to secure the program funds for a term of 5 years or longer.

Targeted Home Improvement Program (T-HIP)

The City’s T-HIP program provides financial assistance to eligible owner-occupants who own a one to four-family residential property to help with critical home repairs.  Eligible repairs include those to address lead-based hazards, health and safety hazards, and code violations.  The City reserves the right to cancel projects whose costs go beyond the program's purpose.

Program eligibility:

• Only owner-occupants can apply.
• Applicants must be the owner of the property. You may be ineligible for the program(s) if the deed to the property lists multiple owners who do not reside in the property.
• Total household income cannot exceed 80% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• Property owner(s) must be code compliant with all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• City of Rochester and Monroe County taxes must be current and not subject to foreclosure or if the owner is on a tax agreement, the owner must be current with payments throughout the entire application process. Including all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• Mortgage payments must be current and not subject to foreclosure.
• Depending on the funding source, owner-occupants must sign a Program Agreement, note and mortgage, or other legal document to secure the program funds for a term of 5 years or longer.

Vacant Rental Improvement Program

The City’s V-RIP program provides financial assistance to eligible rental property owners who own one to five-family vacant rental properties or occupied properties that have vacant units to help make necessary repairs.  Eligible repairs and improvements may include addressing lead-based hazards, health and safety improvements, correcting code violations, accessibility modifications, or updating vacant spaces to meet residential standards.  

The City will prioritize program funding to properties located in high lead-risk areas, neighborhoods where housing development projects are located, and property owners who will rent to tenants with household incomes at or below 60% AMI. The City reserves the right to cancel projects whose costs go beyond the program's purpose.

• Property must have vacant housing units. Properties that are major fire-damaged with severe structural issues are not eligible for the program.
• Property owners cannot own more than twenty (20) residential units in total in the city of Rochester.
• Applicants must be the owner of the property. You may be ineligible for the program(s) if the deed to the property lists multiple owners who do not reside in the property.
• The total household income for tenants must be at or below 80% of HUD’s AMI (guidelines change annually).
• Property owners must be code compliant with all properties owned in the city of Rochester, except for the vacant rental unit(s) in which they are requesting assistance.
• City of Rochester and Monroe County taxes must be current and not subject to foreclosure or if the owner is on a tax agreement, the owner must be current with payments throughout the entire application process. Including all properties owned in the city of Rochester.
• Property owners must be current on mortgage payments and not subject to foreclosure.
• Depending on the funding source, property owners must sign a Program Agreement, note and mortgage, or other legal document to secure the program funds for a term of 5 years or longer.

Demolition Program

The City’s Demolition Program helps stabilize and improve our neighborhoods by removing unsafe, blighted, and abandoned structures. The City of Rochester has processes to facilitate the demolition of privately owned and city-owned vacant structures.

Once the City takes ownership of a structure it is assessed by staff to determine if it should be sold or demolished. If it is determined that the structure should be demolished it is placed on a demolition chart and will follow the necessary stages of demolition including asbestos survey and abatement, bid out to demolition contractors, and then ultimately demolished.

Privately owned vacant structures that are deemed unsafe or dangerous to the health, safety or welfare of the public, or a vacant building that is determined to be a public nuisance will be subject to the City’s private demolition hearing process. These determinations are made in accordance with section 47-A16 of the City Code and are as follows: 

A structure is unsafe or dangerous when any of the following conditions exist:

1. The building walls or other structures are in poor structural condition or there are major structural defects
2. The building and its contents constitute a fire hazard
3. Violations of Chapter 90, the Property Code, exist which are a danger to health, safety, and public welfare
4. Other conditions exist that endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the public.

A structure is a public nuisance when any of the following conditions exist:

1. The building or structure is abandoned. A building or structure is abandoned when it has been vacant for more than a year and the owner has failed to correct violations of Chapter 90, the Property Code, in accordance with a notice or notices of violation issued by the City.
2. The building or structure is a blighted premise. A building or structure is a blighted premises when there exists a violation or violations, including continuing violations which are not corrected, involving the building or structure, of any of the provisions of Chapter 90, Property Conservation Code, occurring on four or more occasions within a period of six months, or six or more occasions within a period of 12 months.

The demolition hearing is conducted by a third-party independent hearing officer. The hearing officer will render a written decision within 21 days of the conclusion of the hearing. The hearing officer’s decision will include written findings which shall refer to the evidence in the record, setting forth the basis for the decision, and conclusions, citing the specific determination of the hearing officer. The hearing officer’s decision will be a final determination for the purpose of judicial review pursuant to Civil Practice Law and Rules §7803, Subdivision 4.

The cost of demolition will be a personal liability of the owner. The cost of demolition shall include the cost of removal of demolition debris. Such costs will also be a lien upon the property and may be added to the subject property tax bill.

You can determine if a vacant structure is designated as a demo case by accessing the City’s Vacant Property Map at the link below. For more information on demolition, you may contact -585-428-7458.

All City contracted demolition work are public bids with the exception of emergency demolition.

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