These four areas of community concern are connected in the fight for equity and justice and housing. They are also connected by the demand for council to prioritize the voices and needs of our community members. Below is a brief explanation of the issues and how you can join the chorus of support.

Pass A Memorializing Resolution in support of a Ceasefire in Gaza

Rochester’s memorializing resolution is expected to be voted upon by City Council Tuesday, March 19. This formal statement is a tool for amplifying the voices of Rochester residents calling for an end to violence, and is similar to a past declaration made by council in the 1980’s amplifying the call for racial justice in South Africa and an end to Apartheid. 

The world is increasingly interconnected, and our choices locally impact the global community, and choices made about how federal tax dollars are spent impact how we can invest in our communities. Over 100 cities in the US have already formalized statements on behalf of their communities calling for peace. 

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Pause Unfair Reassessments

​​This year Rochester residents have been alarmed by property tax valuations that are out of scale with reality. In fact, so many property owners are concerned that the appeal process for the City has been overwhelmed and can’t handle the demand. People are calling for a pause to re-evaluate.

They aren’t opposed to paying taxes to support shared services, but believe that the city needs a fair, transparent, and community-inclusive property reassessment process in the city of Rochester. They are also concerned with the potential to further drive up housing costs and tenant rents. We are in the middle of a housing crisis and must be thoughtful in how actions will impact the ability of folks to stay in their homes!

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Support a Vacancy Study

All Rochester residents deserve safe, stable homes where we can raise our families, rest after a long day of work, and build community with our neighbors. Tenants work hard to keep a roof over our heads and provide for our families. But right now, too many are struggling to afford our homes because of skyrocketing rents. Over a half of Rochester tenants are rent-burdened, forcing many of us to choose between paying the rent or feeding our families.

Our city is experiencing a housing emergency, and it is time for the City of Rochester to take action. To stabilize our community and help tenants afford the rent we need to complete a vacancy study, the first step towards opting into rent stabilization. If our city opts in, Rent Stabilization would cover more than 25,000 Rochester residents, living in 10,200 units across 650 buildings in our city. It would create more stable neighborhoods for tenants and homeowners alike. 

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Stop the BID

The Rochester Downtown Development Corporation (RDDC) is trying to turn Downtown Rochester into a “Business Improvement District” they would control. A BID would give even more power to some of Rochester’s wealthiest property owners and businesses like RG&E. We must keep our downtown under community control and stop this unjust power grab. Tell City Council to #stopthebid

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