Stabilize Rochester Campaign Overview

The City of Rochester’s housing policies have destabilized our community and put for-profit investors first. That’s why the tenants of Rochester are calling on the city to Stabilize Rochester through a set of five key local reforms. We’ve had the tenth highest rent increases in the country, leaving 48% of families of color in Rochester severely rent-burdened. Yet the City gave developer Andy Gallina a $17 million tax break to gentrify our community and build luxury apartments with rents of $2,950 a month. The five Stabilize Rochester demands are as follows:

1) Rent Stabilization through the Emergency Tenant Protection Act + A New Vacancy Study

Opting in to the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA) allows rent stabilization and enhanced eviction and maintenance protections for approximately 30,000 residents. Before we can opt into the ETPA, we need the City to complete a new vacancy study with more accurate methodology. See ETPA FAQ Sheet.

2) Good Cause Eviction Protections

By ending no-cause evictions for over 100,000 residents, this law would give tenants the right to renew their tenancy, protect their right to organize, protect against excessive rent increases, and enhance living conditions. See Good Cause Eviction Protection Handout.

3) Pass the No C of O, No Eviction Law

The City has allowed hundreds of landlords to rent out and evict tenants from buildings without a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) in violation of § 90-16 of Rochester City Code. Requiring a C of O to file an eviction would put real teeth behind the law, giving landlords more of an incentive to make repairs and decreasing evictions from the worst slumlords in the City. See No Eviction Without a Certificate of Occupancy Handout.

4) Tenant Right to Counsel

Stem the tide of illegal evictions by passing a local ordinance permanently guaranteeing every tenant a right to counsel in eviction and habitability cases. See Principles and Key Components in Right to Counsel Legislation.

5) Repeal the 485-a Tax Break for Luxury Development

End the City’s policy of subsidizing large developers (the 485-a tax break) to build luxury market rate housing, which drives up rent costs throughout the city. Currently developers are getting tax breaks of up to $17 million to create luxury housing. See Background on 485-a Tax Break.

How Can You Help Stabilize Rochester?

  • Sign-up to volunteer and to stay updated on future events and actions.

  • Contact Councilmember Mitch Gruber to ask him to publicly support all five Stabilize Rochester demands, starting with Good Cause Eviction Protections and the No C of O, No Eviction Law. Script and contact info here.

  • If your organization is interested in signing-on to the Stabilize Rochester Campaign, please fill out this form.

  • Donate to help support our work.