Housing

call 211
Local assistance programs for food, housing, healthcare, substance abuse,  household items, employment, education, family care, and veterans. 
Website: www.211LifeLine.org

211 has connections for numerous resources, including but not limited to:

  • A Food voucher program and groceries. Food pantry delivery is available to those unable to leave their homes on a case by case basis
  • Child care and referrals for diaper bank/baby formula 
  • Employment and education
  • Legal assistance
  • General counseling services 
  • Temporary Assistance(TA)- temporary financial help for adults and children in need. If you are unable to work, can not find a job, or your job does not pay enough, TA may be able to help you pay for your expenses, including rental assistance 
  • Bus passes
  • Assistance with Social Security Income (SSI) and other govt benefits
  • Tenant/landlord disputes, rent/eviction services, and reporting landlord code violations 
  • Disability rights information and programs

Re-entry Association of WNY (RAWNY)
Helping recently incarcerated people get on their feet after leaving the prison industrial complex. 
Call (585) 851-8886 or visit www.RAWNY.org for more information

  • Housing and public assistance benefits
  • Vital documents and drivers licenses
  • Substance use treatment and mental health counseling
  • Life skills course, GED preparation, employment and training
  • Peer clubs and activities 
  • Legal clinics, and non-criminal legal issues
  • Computer basics
  • Haircuts
  • Medical care

Catholic Family Center
CFC has a multitude of programs for people struggling with addiction & recovery, aging, mental illness, HIV/AIDS, poverty, developmental disabilities, and immigration. Their programs include:

  • Basic needs – Shelter/housing, food, and clothing
  • Emergency rental assistance
  • Job training and employment skills
  • Employment services for people with chronic illness or disabilities
  • Mental health counseling 
  • Drug or gambling addiction treatment and recovery
  • Children with chronic illness care management
  • Senior care management 
  • Refugee employment and resettlement
  • Many more! 
    Email: CFC@FCSCharities.org
    87 N Clinton Ave, 14604
    (585) 546-7220
    1099 Jay Street, Building J, 14611
    (585) 339-9800
    Catholic Family Center’s Community Resource Services (CRS) 
    Focused on emergency rent assistance, food assistance, and short-term crisis intervention for people of all ages. Call and leave a detailed message with your emergency and a team member will reach out to schedule an appointment. 
    Call: (585) 232-2050

St. Joseph’s – St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality –
Food, clothing and shelter. Shelter provision is not immediate, but rather by placement. 
See Alex House and Dorothy Day House

Center open 9:00am-12:30pm Sun, Mon, Wed-Fri. Closed Tue and Sat. 
Gives out clean men’s clothes, provides a shower, and clothes washing. A phone is available for use.
Monday-Friday Lunch Program
Coffee or tea available from 9am ‘til gone or 11am, whichever comes first, at the south entrance (parking lot)
Lunch is served 11:30am-12:15pm
(585)-232-3262
402 South Ave, 14620

St Joseph’s Neighborhood Center –
Comprehensive medical care, dental, social services advocacy, legal/financial counseling, insurance navigators, mental health counseling, therapy, and psychiatry services for free or reduced (sliding scale) cost. 
(585) 325-5260 
417 South Ave, 14620 

St Joseph’s Northside –
St Joseph’s Northside provides services in the northwest part of town. These include showers.
Monday-Friday Breakfast Program:
Food is available from 9am-12pm. 
(585) 482-1494 
540 Lyell Ave, 14606

Father Tracy’s Advocacy Center
SPANISH SPEAKING
FTAC provides food, clothes, and other assistance. Staff will assist with navigating paperwork (e.g. for SNAP) and can provide shower access. One can open a mailbox and set up a voicemail at FTAC.
Monday-Friday Meals Program
Coffee, snacks, water, and other assorted necessities are typically available all day. Breakfast is served 10:00am; food typically runs out quickly. Lunch is served at 1:00pm.
821 N Clinton Ave, 14621
(585)-563-7008

For additional Spanish-speaking resources, please see Ibero

Housing is a human right!

Housing programs

Person Centered Housing Options
PCHO is an organization whose mission is to address, prevent, and alleviate chronic homelessness within Monroe County New York and surrounding communities using the housing first model. 
PCHO provides services that include

  •  Community-wide homeless outreach 
  •  Permanent supportive housing 
  •  Health home care management 
  •  Peer recovery support program 

  • Call: (585) 736-4663
    OR email HomelessOutreach@PCHO.org

Family Promise of Greater Rochester
FPGROC (formerly RAIHN) assists families at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The organization runs an apartment building with family-friendly housing options.
* Offers some financial assistance with security deposits and first month’s rent.
(585) 506-9050 
142 Webster Avenue, 14609

The Vineyard Farms Hub
Offers food, shelter and assistance to unhoused community members. 
126 Sander St. 14605
GoNowForJesus@gmail.com

Alex House – Alexander Apartments (part of St. Joe’s)
Alexander Apartments provide a safe, secure and affordable living environment for people in addiction recovery.
Jasmin Reggler (585) 314-8028
Trudy Scahill (585) 200-1352
E-mail: GScahill@yahoo.com

Dorothy Day House – (part of St. Joe’s)
Accepts homeless adults without money for a security deposit/rent. Tenants can stay for about a year or until they get back on their feet with the help of an advocate. Tenants also receive free medical assistance immediately.
Call (585) 232-3262

Shelters


If you are currently or at risk of being homeless, go in person to the Monroe County Department of Human Services (DHS) at 691 St. Paul Street to be assessed for placement in a local shelter. You can also call 211 for tele-counseling, information, or referrals. 

DHS Emergency Shelter – After Hours Program
Monroe County Department of Human Services (DHS) provides emergency housing placement in shelters throughout the county during non-business hours; available to DSS and non-DSS recipients.

  • Must be located in Monroe County, however, you do not need to live in Monroe County
  • Phone screening required
  • No Fees
  • Language interpreters available upon request

Intake line: (585) 753-2780
After hours (5:00pm): (585) 442-1742 
691 St. Paul St. 14605
Many shelters in Rochester require referrals – Call 211, go to DHS (address above), or talk to your case manager to be placed in a shelter. 
Shelters marked with * are known to need referrals.

Youth shelters


Genesis House- (teens 16-20) (585) 235-2660 
70 Liberty Pole Way, 14604 

The Center for Youth Housing (LGBTQ+ safe)- 
24 hour crisis line – (585) 271-7670
Office line – (585) 473-2464 
905 Monroe ave, 14620 

Women’s shelters


Bethany House- (585) 454-4197 
1111 Joseph ave, 14621 
Shelter as well as other programs and help for women facing homelessness, domestic violence, incarceration, addiction, and mental and physical illness.

Sanctuary House (women and women with children) – (585) 277-7550
79 North Clinton Ave, 14604
Other shelters – 
Open Door Mission- (585) 454-6696 
210 W Main st, 14608 
Open Door Mission is a warming center after 6:30pm, when temperature drops below 20℉ – stop by to warm up if you are ineligible to stay at other shelters. 

Francis Center – (585) 423-9590
547 Joseph Ave, 14605
Family shelters- (Parent/s and children) 

Family Promise of Greater Rochester – (585) 506-9050 
142 Webster Ave, 14609 
(Heavily checks background/criminal history) 

*VOA Guest House – Open 24/7 (585) 647-1150 ext. 7411
175 Ward st, 14605 

*VOA Moving Forward – (585) 647-1150
119 State St, 14614
Shelter for adults, all genders

House of Mercy – open 24/7 (585) 546-2580 
285 Ormond st, 14621 

Willow Domestic Violence Center 
24-hour hotline – Call or Text: (585) 222-SAFE (7233) 
TTY: (585) 232-1741 
OR visit  www.WillowCenterNY.org 
All survivors, all ages, all genders, all types or threats of abuse.
Contact Willow today if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse. 
For transitional/ supportive housing programs –
 ❖ Person Centered Housing Options (pg. 3) 
❖ St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality (pg. 2) 
For emergency child care due to homelessness or another emergency

Rochester Grants Pass Resistance – https://rgpr.org/ 
A more complete list of Rochester’s shelters and details on services

Rochester City-Wide Tenant union 
The City-Wide Tenant Union (CWTU) of Rochester is a grassroots housing justice organization that works to elevate housing to a human right and secure community control over land and housing by building tenant power and expanding the rights of all tenants. 
Contact the CWTU: 
Phone: (585)210-0705
Email: info@RocTenantUnion.org

The Tenant Defense project 
The Tenant Defense Project is a jointly-run pilot project by Rochester’s legal services community to assist tenants with information, advice, and in certain situations, representation in courts throughout Monroe County. 
Contact the Tenant Defense Project:
Phone:(585)504-6195. 
Website: www.TenantDefense.org
Renters: KNOW YOUR rights – know your risks
All Tenants Have the Right to Live in Dignified Conditions 

Under the warranty of habitability, tenants have the right to a livable, safe and sanitary apartment. Any lease provision that waives this right is contrary to public policy and therefore should be void; however it is still subject to a judge’s interpretation. (Real Property Law §235-b). 

Landlords Have a Duty to Repair 
Landlords of multiple dwellings are supposed to keep the apartments and the building’s public areas in “good repair” and clean and free of vermin, garbage or other offensive material. Landlords are technically required to maintain electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating and ventilating systems and appliances landlords install, (refrigerators, stoves, etc), in good and safe working order. All repairs must be made within a reasonable time period. (Multiple Residence Law §174). 

If a landlord is not making repairs in a timely manner, there are some steps you can take that work in many situations (but not always):

  • Always put requests for repairs in writing to the landlord. Sign and date the letter and make a photocopy for your records.
  • Be sure to photograph and date any visible needs for repair.
  • If the landlord does not make the repairs that are requested in a reasonable amount of time, you have the right to call a building inspector.
  • For property located in the City of Rochester, call 311. Ask for the phone number for the Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) closest to your rental and ask them for an inspection from a code enforcement officer. 
  • You can also file an Article 7D with the city clerk’s office. This can force your landlord to make repairs if the conditions violate local or state housing standards or Real Property Law. You can find more information on 7D on the NYS court system website.

https://ww2.NYcourts.gov/forms/LandlordTenant/index.shtml

You can call 311 to report code violations. If you call the Tenant Union, they can advocate for you to get a code inspector as soon as possible. 

Tenants Have the Right to Organize and Landlord Retaliation is Technically Illegal

Tenants may form, join, and participate in tenant organizations for the purpose of protecting their rights and improving their conditions. Tenants’ groups, committees or organizations shall have the right to meet without a fee on the premises, including a community room (Real Property Law § 230). Landlords are prohibited from retaliating against tenants who exercise their rights. For example, landlords allegedly cannot seek to evict tenants solely because tenants (a) make good faith complaints to a landlord, property management, or government agency regarding violations of any health or safety laws; (b) take good faith actions to protect their rights under the lease; or (c) participate in tenant organizations. This law applies to all rentals except owner-occupied dwellings with fewer than four units (Real Property Law § 223-b). Be advised that “retaliation” is not actively enforced against by any agency or court. It is a defense that can be raised in certain kinds of evictions. It cannot be raised in a non-payment proceeding, for instance. If you believe you are being evicted because your landlord is retaliating against you for the above reasons, speak to an attorney for guidance about how it may affect your case.

How can I ensure I get my security deposit back?

A landlord must return the security deposit to the tenant at the end of the lease or within 14 days of move-out, along with itemized deductions and backup invoices for repairs. If you do not receive your security deposit within that time frame, you can sue them in small claims court. However, the landlord does not have to return the deposit if there were damages done to the rental by the tenant that allegedly eats up the deposit amount, or if the tenant owes rent. 

Here are some actions to take to ensure you receive your security deposit:

  • When you pay the deposit, be sure to request a receipt from your landlord. If they refuse, make a receipt in front of them and ask them to sign it.
  • If there are damages to the property upon moving in, be sure to take pictures of them. Consider communicating the damages to your landlord.
  • Before returning the keys, request a walk through of the apartment so that you can witness your landlord’s evaluation of the space. This can help protect you in court in the case that you need to sue your landlord for your deposit. You can document the walk through as an added layer of protection.
  • Be sure to leave a forwarding address for your landlord if the deposit is to be returned via mail. 

Can rent be withheld if repairs are not being made in a rental unit?

If you want to withhold your rent in the hopes to get repairs done, be sure to have the rent you are withholding set aside and let your landlord know in writing that you plan to withhold your rent. Give them specific demands and say that you intend to withhold your rent until the demands have been met. Your landlord will likely file an eviction and take you to court so be prepared for this. In order to avoid eviction in this instance, you will need to prove to the court that you have the money (for every month’s rent that was withheld), and a letter of intent will also prove helpful. However, even a positive court hearing will not always guarantee your landlord will fix anything. 

What is proper notice to provide a tenant to vacate?

Landlords are required to provide notice to tenants if they intend to raise rent more than five percent or if they do not intend to renew the lease. The landlord must provide such notice in advance of lease renewal, at least:

-30 days if a tenant has lived there less than one year and has less than a year lease.

-60 days if a tenant has lived in the apartment for 1-2 years or for a tenant with a lease term of between 1-2  years.

-90 days for a tenant who has lived in the apartment for more than two years or for a tenant with a lease term of at least two years.

Rent raises are essentially a renegotiation offer by the landlord. The notice rules are to ensure that a tenant has additional time to move in the event they refuse these new proposed lease

terms. The consequences of faulty rent raise notices are more complicated than they seem, talk to a lawyer about the facts of your case when considering acting on this information. 

My landlord changed my locks and told me to leave, now what? 

Lockouts are illegal. A landlord needs an eviction warrant issued by a judge, and served to you by a marshal well in advance of the eviction date. If you were not taken to eviction court, and not issued an eviction warrant, your landlord is technically breaking the law. In addition they are obligated to keep anything left behind in safe, accessible storage for ~ 30 days. If your landlord tries to evict you illegally, call 911. You can call the CWTU first if you feel unsafe calling 911. If it’s possible, have your lease ready to show the police. Of course, remember that cops are often useless and will pretend they don’t know eviction laws. If a cop tries to tell you it’s a “civil matter”, you can let them know that evicting someone illegally is a misdemeanor and that you would like a copy of the police report. You still may have better luck going to the precinct to get any of this done. 

*This is legal information, not legal advice. Contact an attorney if you are having legal issues with your tenancy.