City’s Housing Quality Task Force expands focus to homeownership
After two years of meaningful work to address the needs of renters and landlords in Rochester, Mayor Malik D. Evans today asked the Housing Quality Task Force to create partnerships, enhance City programs, and align efforts with state, county, and partner organizations to increase homeownership opportunities and better support existing homeowners.
“Owning a home is one of the fundamental ways that families build wealth and provide stability for generations to come,” Mayor Evans said. “We need to focus efforts on helping those who own their homes make the most of its increased value and prepare renters to become homeowners so they can put down roots and invest in themselves and the city.”
The Rochester Housing Quality Task Force was convened in February of 2022 and given 90 days to develop policies and programs to improve and enhance housing quality in Rochester. Since that time, the City has adopted a Landlord-Tenant Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, hired additional code enforcement staff, launched an online property management portal, and compiled a vacant property database. The City’s Buy The Block program and the Rochester Land Bank have worked to increase the supply of quality housing. One of the most significant changes has been the creation of a cross-functional City team, including a dedicated housing attorney, to target habitually non-compliant landlords and long outstanding Certificate of Occupancy and code violation cases.
Having achieved those successes and more, the Housing Quality Task Force now has 60 business days to expand its focus and identify strategies for increasing homeownership, find additional ways to support current homeowners and invite new partners to participate.