https://www.mcvacants.com/partnerships

PARTNERSHIPS
The work of the Task Force would simply not be possible if it were not for the strong leadership and efforts by our community partners! Since the inception of the Task Force and subsequent creation of our report, these partners have worked on the recommendations set out in the report and have gone above and beyond as far as commitment and transparency. Their dedication has moved the needle in Monroe County to being able to effectively deal with vacancies, as well as prevent them and lend a hand in their rehabilitation if needed. So far, in the 2 years since our creation, we have been able to affect legislation regarding vacancies, keep up on the expedited foreclosure process and provide a point of contact for constituents seeking information or help regarding a vacancy.

PREVENTION
Prevention is made of up many organizations which help with foreclosure prevention such as The Housing Council at Pathstone, Consumer Credit Counselors of Rochester, The Urban League and Neighborworks. This committee has access to information regarding loan modifications, credit management and home ownership.

IDENTIFICATION AND MAINTENANCE
In partnership with the City of Rochester, ID and Maintenance is co-chaired by Gary Kirkmire and Adam Bello and the focus of this subcommittee is to identify vacant properties and maintain them to stop further blight. This group has some of the most time sensitive and impactful work surrounding vacant properties. This subcommittee has also implemented new policies regarding vacant homes and holding responsible parties accountable for the maintenance of their properties.

Partnership Focus of the Month
The Greater Rochester Housing Partnership was created in 1992 to spur the development of affordable housing in and around Rochester, NY. After extensive deliberation, a task force established by then – Mayor Ryan determined that a Partnership model would be the best tool for increasing the funding and therefore the volume of affordable housing in our community. The Partnership was established as a stand alone non-profit corporation with initial capitalization from the City of Rochester.

REHABILITATION
This is by far our most active subcommittee at the moment. Between working with LawNY to develop a process for linking bank donated properties with local nonprofits for rehabilitation, Rehabilitation is also taking the lead on Neighborhood Spruce Up GH4P on June 8th. This is a partnership with SONYMA and will focus on the GH4P neighborhood located in Marketview Heights. This project will revitalize the neighborhood by providing some landscaping, clean up and simple repairs to homes throughout this area. This group will be seeking volunteers, sponsors and in kind donations from many local organizations and businesses. This group is made up of volunteers from Flower City Habitat for Humanity, Candandaigua National Bank, M&T, Greater Rochester Association of Realtors, North East Area Development, and the Greater Rochester Housing Partnership LLC.