The City of Rochester's Consolidated Community Development Plan identifies the overall housing and community development needs and outlines strategies to address those needs. It includes a one-year action plan for spending approximately $20,330,500 in federal resources to address priority needs and specific strategies. These funds will primarily be spent on housing and economic development activities.
The City of Rochester's Department of Community Development is the lead agency responsible for overseeing the development of the Plan. The Department made many significant efforts to ensure that there was broad public participation in the development of the Plan and that ideas were obtained from a wide range of government agencies, service providers and the sector planning committees.
To launch the planning process, letters were sent to the individuals, agencies and businesses who regularly participate in the Community Development Block Grant Program. These people represent a cross section of the community in its racial, cultural and economic diversity.
The City prepared a detailed Citizen Participation Plan that outlines the many opportunities for citizens to become involved in the planning and implementation of the Consolidated Community Development Plan. Copies of the plan were mailed to participants of the process and all public libraries.
Solicitation letters were sent to housing and supportive service providers. The letters informed these entities that the Consolidated Plan was in preparation and requested their comments. To maximize the number of comments received, a press release was prepared and a public notice was published in the Democrat and Chronicle on October 15, 1994.
To ensure the plan reflects local needs, participants of the process were asked to complete a Community Needs Assessment based on the Priority Needs Table developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. As a result, citizens themselves developed the priorities that led to the allocation of resources.
The City also held two public meetings. At the first meeting, the results of the needs
survey was presented and the Vision, Goal and Objectives were discussed. The agenda for
the second meeting included a discussion of the various strategies and the action plan.
The City of Rochester, and the surrounding towns that form Monroe County, has long been considered to have a stable economy, especially compared to other northeast metropolitan areas. According to the 1990 census, the population of the City of Rochester was 231,636.
Nearly 60% of the city's households were classified as low and moderate income in 1990.
These households had incomes which were 80% or less of the MSA's median family
income. The MSA's median family income of 1990 was $40,856, while the City of
Rochester was $27,675 or 68% of the MSA.
Housing problems are the most prevalent among lower income households, and the incidence of problems increases as income falls. The most widespread housing problem is affordability, especially at the lower income levels.
The City of Rochester is conducting a study of the homeless population, including its characteristics and needs. More than 5,000 homeless individuals reside in Monroe County. Most of these live in the City of Rochester. It is estimated that more than one in every four homeless people is severely mentally ill. Another one in four is actively involved in drug or alcohol abuse. One in ten is both severely mentally ill and abusing a drug or alcohol.
There are currently 45 facilities/agencies that provide services to the homeless and those threatened with homelessness. Through the network of agencies, a total of 165 emergency beds and 365 transitional beds are available for persons in need of shelter. In addition, there are 43 youth beds to serve homeless youth. Other support services such as meals, health care and drop-ins are also available.
There is great demand for public housing as evidenced by the waiting list for the 2,368 units in the public housing inventory. As of January 1995, there were 2,722 households on the waiting list for public housing. The greatest demand (65%) was for two and three bedroom units. There is nearly three times the demand for family units (2,043) as there is for elderly units (679).
There are 3,572 units included in the Rochester's Housing Authority's Section 8 inventory and there are currently 2,240 persons on the waiting list. Fifty-four percent of those on the waiting list (1,215) are classified as preferred.
The City of Rochester intends to pursue the following efforts in seeking to reform public policies which affect the provision of affordable housing:
The Plan will fund a fair housing counseling program in the community that will provide information on fair housing rights and on the availability of housing in a wide variety of locations, emphasizing housing choice. In addition, an allocation of $75,000 was allocated for housing studies and fair housing activities. In order to promote fair housing the City, County of Monroe and the Towns of Greece and Irondequoit are working cooperatively to perform an analysis of the impediments to fair housing.
Sixty percent (60%) of the City's housing units were constructed prior to 1940, 55,126 of which were occupied in 1990. Of these, 12,390 (22.51%) were occupied by low-income renters. Of the City's 38,459 low and moderate income renter households, more than 90% are estimated to occupy housing units where lead-based paint will be found.
Similarly, more than 60% of low and moderate income owner occupants (9,776) are suspected to be residing in housing units containing lead-based paint.
The City is currently cooperating with the Monroe County Department of Health/Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to identify and abate conditions which expose children to lead poisoning hazards. Upon identifying a child with an elevated blood level, the Health Department conducts an inspection of the property. The City then pursues a parallel, but independent, course of action that includes the issuance of a notice and order.
The City of Rochester and the surrounding towns that form Monroe County have long been considered to possess a stable economy, especially when compared to other northeast metropolitan areas. Rochester has suffered the loss of manufacturing employment as a few of its major employers restructured their work forces. The result was a reduction in manufacturing employment or approximately 3,200 jobs or 2.4%. Economic issues were one of the primary community development needs addressed in our plan. In addition, poverty is widespread among City residents with nearly one-quarter (52,237) living below the federal poverty level in 1989.
Other priorities included code enforcement and the rehabilitation of substandard units. In
1990 nearly 60% of Rochester's housing was built prior to 1940, resulting in a median unit
age of 51 years. Vacant units accounted for 7% of the housing stock. Other needs
included public facility improvements and public services.
The 1995-96 Consolidated Community Development Plan's goals are to strengthen the City and its neighborhoods by encouraging public and private development investment partnerships in business, housing and municipal facilities supported by effective public safety and human services. In addition, the plan will encourage the active participation of residents in planning the City's future within the context of the metropolitan area. Given the goals, the plan will focus on the following objectives:
Rochester's Housing Policy guides the development of specific strategies that address the housing needs and allocation of funds to carry out these strategies. The policy, which was adopted by City Council on May 11, 1993, provides for City support of home ownership for income qualified persons who desire to own a home, decent and affordable housing for those persons who do not desire or cannot afford to own a home, and the development of a broader range of housing opportunities for low income persons outside the city.
Over the past year, the City's economic development efforts have concentrated on commercial and industrial development through a series of strategies and initiatives designed to encourage investment, retain and create jobs while strengthening city neighborhoods.
Rochester has a well-established network of social service, educational and job training agencies and programs to fight poverty. The City will coordinate its housing efforts with those agencies to provide more affordable housing to households with extremely low incomes. In addition, our human service programs complement our housing programs to address issues relating to poverty, such as homelessness and family counseling.
For Fiscal Year 1995-96, the City of Rochester expects to receive $20,330,500 in federal revenues. The primary federal resources include CDBG, HOME Program and Emergency Shelter Grants.
The Department of Community Development is responsible for Consolidated Plan activities
with the assistance of a variety of public and private organizations. Illustrations of this
cooperation would be the Residential Assistance program that is administered through
neighborhood associations, non-profits that provide services to the homeless. and private
lenders that operate affordable housing loan programs, or in the case of the First Place, First
Federal Savings and Loan serves as the developer for an affordable housing development.
The city of Rochester's One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of approximately $20,330,500 in federal revenues. These funds will be spent on community development activities, including:
Neighbors Building Neighborhoods
Promote Economic Stability
Improve the Housing Stock and General Property Conditions
The projects in the One-Year Plan are within the City of Rochester, predominantly in lower income areas.
The primary goals are dictated by the Housing Policy and include home ownership for income qualified persons who desire their own home. The Action Plan has committed $2,854,000 to assist prospective homeowners realize their goal. An additional aspect of the Housing Policy provides for affordable housing for those persons who do not desire or cannot afford to own a home. The plan provides for support for the development of rental housing and counseling relating to landlord tenant issues in the amount of $9,832,300. The policy also recognizes that the City has a disproportionate share of low income housing. Housing opportunities for low income residents must be available outside of the City. The plan has committed $75,000 for housing studies and fair housing activities.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects.
