New analysis finds that 37.8% of eviction hearings lacked valid Certificates of Occupancy since moratorium expiration

Between the moratorium expiration and March 8, there have been 855 eviction hearings in Rochester City Court, demonstrating a massive destabilization across our community. 37.8% of the eviction hearings so far are for properties lacking valid Certificates of Occupancy, which are required for all rental properties by Rochester City Code. Essentially, landlords have been illegally renting out properties and then evicting tenants.

The City-Wide Tenant Union also mapped the eviction hearings, finding that tenants in Councilmember Patterson's district have had the most eviction hearings so far, though he is one of the most vocal opponents of the Eviction Reduction bill. He is followed by Councilmember Peo, another opponent of the bill. The Northeast District also has the highest percentage of renters in our City (66.1%) AND the second highest percentage of rent-burdened tenants (65.5%). This data, coupled with his opposition, raises serious questions as to whose interests Councilmember Patterson are really representing.

Some of the properties that tenants are being evicted from have lacked C of Os since 2014 or have 70+ code violations. The data shows that Rochester landlords are evicting tenants from properties, often for nonpayment, without complying with the law and meeting basic habitability standards.

Heat Map of Rochester Eviction Hearings

More data on Rochester’s eviction crisis:

  • As of January 2022, U.S. Census Bureau estimates that over 15,000 households in the region are still behind on rent.

  • Pre-pandemic, Rochesters saw approximately  8,000 evictions filed each year, impacting almost 1/10 Rochester residents.

  • Pre-pandemic, 72% of the tenants represented by the Legal Aid Society of Rochester in eviction cases were women and 81% were people of color. For every ten eviction cases, Sthirteen children were facing eviction.

  • A 2017 study found that 59% of families of color in Rochester are rent-burdened, paying more than 30% of their income on rent. 

  • Approximately 1 out of every 4 Rochester residents moves every year, demonstrating a high rate of displacement.