New York Construction Report staff writer
Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans on Friday unveiled Rehabilitate the Dream, a new pilot program aimed at turning vacant houses into owner-occupied homes as part of the city’s broader effort to improve housing quality and expand homeownership.
The program, developed in partnership with the Rochester Land Bank Corp. and HOME HeadQuarters, offers favorable acquisition and rehab mortgages, construction management support and financial subsidies to qualified buyers who commit to living in the home for at least 15 years.
“Our vision is simple: Every Rochesterian deserves access to safe, stable and high-quality housing,” Evans said during a Housing Quality Task Force update at City Hall. “We’re investing in new housing, preparing families for homeownership and making sure all property owners are part of the solution.”
Homes available through the program can be viewed at CityofRochester.gov/LandBank.
The city’s Office of Financial Empowerment will help participants with financial counseling, rent reporting programs and educational resources, including the new Homeowner’s Guide to Building Generational Wealth.
The initiative is part of a broader housing strategy that since 2022 has supported the development of more than 3,000 affordable housing units, 850 market-rate rentals and 450,000 square feet of mixed-use space. City officials also reported stepped-up housing code enforcement, with a 35% increase in monthly violation tickets and over $500,000 in fines collected in three years.
The full list of Housing Quality Task Force actions is available at CityOfRochester.gov/HQTF.
