Rochester FH History

Community Choice
Strategies for Promoting Fair Housing Opportunities in Monroe County

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Rochester Fair Housing History

As members of the fair housing community work on the current initiatives it is important to keep in mind a historical perspective and learn from past efforts. Without a doubt there are many housing initiatives that have proved successful. However, regional and national trends have resulted in Monroe County being a more economically and racially segregated community.

Much of what is being undertaken has been tried with limited or no success in the past 30 YEARS. If we are to succeed we must be honest enough to ask the question;

What are we doing different this time to make it work?

The Community Choice Action Plan (CCAP) is the most recent community-based public policy imitative to promote fair housing in Monroe County. Prior to CCAP other initiatives were undertaken in the community to study and identify needs for housing.

This web site hopes to result in information sharing that will generate awareness and interest in furthering current initiatives and undertaking new initiatives to make fair housing choice in Greater Rochester a reality.

Did You Know that City Residents, Community-Based Housing Organizations, and the Rochester Builders Association were part of a Fair Housing Law Suit that Went to the Highest Federal Court in the Nation?

Learn more this event and other housing choice initiatives by searching the Historical Chronology of Fair Housing Initiatives in Monroe County

1960's -- 1970's -- 1980's --1990's

1960's

1960 April	Rochester City Council adopts a resolution recommending the creation of a joint City-County Committee on Human Relations with the purpose of investigating, cooperating and advising on ways to combat discriminatory incidents or practices in the community.
1960 May	County Legislature concurs with City Council to create a joint City-County Human Relations committee.
1963 July	County Legislature passes a resolution recommending the eradication of racial discrimination, "that each and every Supervisor of the Board do everything in his or her power to eradicate racial discrimination in the Town or Ward they represent."
1964 July	Rochester Race Riots
1966 Sept.	The Rochester City Council endorses the formation of a Citizen's Metropolitan Housing Committee
1966 Dec.	County Legislature authorizes the County Manager to join the City Manager of Rochester on the appointment of a Citizen's Metropolitan Housing Committee
1969 May	County Officials that were members of the Finance Committee were discharged of all responsibility for their refusal to endorse the proposed Constitutional Amendment to authorize the creation of County Housing Authorities.

1970's

1970 April	The Metropolitan Housing Committee releases its report, Housing in Monroe County, New York, documenting the need for affordable housing and fair housing efforts.
1971 January	The Rochester City Council endorses the Metropolitan Housing Committee's recommendations and urges endorsement by Monroe County, towns and villages.
1971 March	The County Legislature appoints a Special Housing Committee comprising of five Legislators to analyze the actions recommended in the Metropolitan Housing Committee Report.
1971 October	The Legislature endorses the recommendations of the Special Housing Committee and endorses the creation of a Housing Development Committee for the purpose of bringing together various elements of the community to encourage development and progress in the field of housing.
1971	The Housing Council is formally established and seeks funding from the Rochester City Council and the County Legislature, and non-profit organizations for permanent staff.
1972 January	Metro-Act, and eight individual plaintiffs file a lawsuit against the town of Penfield alleging that the town's zoning ordinance had the purpose and effect of excluding persons of low and moderate income from residing in the town.
1972 Nov.	The Monroe County Planning Council releases, Housing: A Challenge for Monroe County, which recommends "fair share housing" for Monroe County.
1973	The County Legislature unanimously endorses (28-0) "Fair Share Housing" concept as presented in the Monroe County Planning Council report, Housing: A Challenge for Monroe County.
1974	The County Legislature amends the Monroe County Charter to establish the Monroe County Housing Commission
1974-1976	Urban League of Rochester conducts testing program to evaluate racial steering in the Monroe County Housing Market. Report issued in July 1976.
1975 June	The Federal Supreme Court releases its ruling in the Metro-Act lawsuit against the Town of Penfield (Warth v. Seldin). Since the lawsuit was originally filed the Housing Council and the Rochester Builder's Association joined the lawsuit. The (5-4) ruling affirmed the ruling of Second Circuit Court of Appeals that denied standing to Metro-Act, the Housing Council the Rochester Builder's Association and the individual plaintiffs.
1975 June	Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Board issues Comprehensive Regional Development Plan which includes a Fair Share Housing Allocation Plan for the eight county region.
1976 Sept.	The County Legislature amends the resolution authorizing county participation in the comprehensive Planning Assistance Program to include the following phrase in the Required Housing Element "Propose broad goals and annual objectives for Monroe County and its political sub-divisions." The amendment removed specific reference to allocation of affordable housing throughout the county.
1978	Monroe County Planning Department and the Monroe Housing Commission issue County Housing Plan for Legislative Action
1978 July	The Real Estate Board of Rochester becomes a signatory of the Voluntary Affirmative Market Agreement (VAMA) and voluntarily assumes the responsibility for implementing provisions for equal opportunity in housing.
1979	The County Legislature changes the organizational structure of the Monroe Housing Commission reducing direct town and village representation

1980's

1982	Monroe County Planning Department and the Monroe County Housing Commission issue updated County Housing Plan for Legislative action.
1982	The Rochester Community Housing Resource Board (CHRB) is created to help the Rochester Real Estate Board fulfill its obligations under (VAMA).
1985	Monroe County Planning Department and the Monroe County Housing Commission issue updated County Housing Plan for Legislative Action
1987	May Monroe County Planning Department issues, Affordable Housing Manual, for use by local officials.
1987	CHRB holds last organizational meeting.
1988	Rochester Housing Market Study, completed by Real Estate Research Corporation recommends formation of a metropolitan housing partnership to address affordable housing financing throughout Monroe County.
1989	United Way Housing Initiatives Program established as a means of increasing the capacity of community development corporations to produce affordable housing throughout the region.

1990's

1991 May	Goals for Greater Rochester issues, Report to the Community, calling for a comprehensive series of actions to provide affordable housing throughout Monroe County.
1991 May	Metropolitan Housing Study, completed under the direction of the Metropolitan Housing Steering Committee, a joint Monroe County/United Way effort.
1991	Monroe County Housing Commission becomes inactive after memberships expire and no new members are appointed by the County Legislature.
1993	Rochester City Council adopts Housing Policy, including need for increased efforts to develop affordable housing in suburbs.
1995	City and County issue revised CHAS's
1995	City and County issue Consolidated Community Development Plans to replace CHAS's
1996 April	Sponsoring jurisdictions Monroe County, City of Rochester, Towns of Greece and Irondequoit release joint Analysis of Impediments (AI) as part of its consolidated planning cycle required by HUD. The AI was prepared by Development Planning Services, Inc.
1996 Nov.	81 Community Choice Action Plan strategies released.
1997 February	Five task-force committees are formed to further develop the CCAP.
1997 Dec.	Report form the five committees released.
1998 April	Community Choice Advisory Committee convened with representatives from the City, County, Rochester Housing Authority (RHA), towns of Greece and Irondequoit and the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors. The Community Choice Action Plan, Phase 1 is also released.