Rochester City Council March Newsletter

Mar 28, 2025

From City Council President Miguel A. Meléndez, Jr.

This month, City Council made major strides in the fight against childhood poverty, took steps toward upgrading the first Puerto Rican-led affordable housing development in the country and brought together dozens of female business owners in honor of Women’s History Month. But it is with a heavy heart that I write to you today.

I was devastated this week to learn of the passing of a student at School of the Arts. We, as elected leaders, as advocates and as an entire community, must work harder to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all the youth in our city – and that begins with a renewed conversation around mental health.

My thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family during this incredibly difficult time, and my heart mourns for the life this community has lost. The wellbeing of our students is of utmost importance, and I encourage anyone struggling with challenges to seek support and remind our community that resources are available, including the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 and City PIC team through 211.

I encourage everyone to reach out to a young person in their life – a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, mentee – and tell them that they are loved, and there are people all around them and all throughout this city who care for them.

As we move forward, we must continue to center our young people. This month Council Vice President LaShay D. Harris released the 2025 Childhood Poverty Report in collaboration with the Children’s Agenda, taking stock of the state of childhood poverty in Rochester and proposing 13 recommendations aimed at a collaborative approach to the issue of childhood poverty here in Rochester.

We must continue to work toward a Rochester of Safer Neighborhoods, Quality Housing and Equitable Access to Opportunity so that the youth in our city can look forward to a bright and hopeful future. I believe that the strides we made this month by unanimously approving improvements to Los Flamboyanes in the gateway to North Clinton Avenue bring us closer to that goal.

The issues we face in Rochester run deep, and this week has been a clear reminder of that. It is my hope that we in City government and as a community can continue to work together to face the challenges before us, and continue to build a better Rochester for our children and all the generations to come.

Council Vice President Releases Childhood Poverty Report

Rochester City Council Vice President LaShay D. Harris today released a report on childhood poverty in Rochester, drawing on youth, expert and community voices to paint a detailed picture of the state of childhood poverty in the Flower City.

“We’ve heard from the public and from our city’s youth on this issue, we’ve collected testimony from leading local experts, and now I’m proud to share this milestone report with our community,” Vice President Harris said. “With this information and a strong guiding hand, I believe we in City government can work alongside others to ensure children in our city feel safe, secure and have their needs met.”

The report reflects months of dedicated work within the community and alongside local organizations, including a youth forum, public hearings and a community survey which received nearly 200 responses. The report outlines key causes of childhood poverty in Rochester – such as lack of access to affordable childcare, pay gaps, and structural barriers to upward mobility – and offers 13 potential solutions authored by Vice President Harris.

“This work has been pivotal to our understanding of childhood poverty in Rochester. We must work together as elected officials, activists and experts if we are going to effect change for our city’s youth,” said Vice President Harris.

The Rochester City Council People, Parks and Public Works Committee is expected to consider adoption of the report at its next meeting on April 8.

The report was compiled alongside local nonprofit the Children’s Agenda, a partnership which proved crucial in understanding community sentiment and the state of children’s advocacy in the City of Rochester.

“Rochester’s unacceptably high rate of child poverty is the result of policy choices – not personal failures. As this report shows, among the most pressing challenges families face is the cost of meeting basic needs, including access to affordable, quality child care,” said Children’s Agenda CEO Larry Marx. “While our elected representatives in Albany now debate the state budget, this report calls on them to adopt the Working Families Tax Credit, as tax credits are a proven tool to reduce child poverty and make New York more affordable for all families. Children’s needs can’t wait for action; they are the definition of now.”

The report continues a track record of advocacy and policymaking by Vice President Harris and Rochester City Council on the issue of Childhood Poverty, including an ongoing push to introduce Memorializing Resolutions which align with the Pact with the People.

“It is crucial that we work with our partners throughout the community and in each level of government to strengthen our chances in the fight against childhood poverty,” said City Council President Miguel A. Meléndez, Jr. “This report provides an overview of what we are doing currently, and suggests a path forward to improve outcomes for Rochester’s young people. It is a strong step forward in creating a future of Safer Neighborhoods, Quality Housing and Equitable Access to Opportunity for all Rochesterians - especially our children”

Los Flamboyanes Upgrades Unanimously Approved

Rochester City Council voted unanimously this month to approved upgrades to Los Flamboyanes, the first Puerto Rican-led affordable housing development in the country.

The upgrades, depicted in the above rendering, will keep the development running and serving Rochester families through the next generation.

Woman-Owned Businesses, Divine Nine, Library Director Honored at Council Meeting

Thank you to all of Rochester’s woman-owned businesses, members of Delta Sigma Theta and Omega Psi Phi and, especially, to Library Director Patricia Uttaro who recently retired from a 38-year long career with the City of Rochester.

Councilmember Gruber Awarded for Commitment to Traffic safety

City Councilmember Mitch Gruber was honored this month at the annual Monroe County STOP-DWI Program & Traffic Safety Board Awards Luncheon.

Councilmember Gruber received the Mark Tuohey, Jr. Award, reflecting years of hard work, dedication and commitment to bettering traffic safety in Rochester and Monroe County.

Council Vice President Hosts Third Annual Senior Summit

Rochester City Council Vice President LaShay D. Harris this month hosted the third annual ROC Senior Estate Planning Summit, in collaboration with Mayor Malik D. Evans, Lifespan and Senior Expressions Founder/CEO Martha Hope.

“Too many of our city’s older adults and their caregivers have been starved of the resources necessary to plan for their estates and create generational wealth,” Council Vice President Harris said. “When I hosted the first Senior Estate Planning Summit, I vowed to help make sure wealth stays with Rochester’s families where it can be passed along to the next generation.”

The event, which brought dozens of Rochester residents together at the Joseph A. Floreano Convention Center, focused on crucial topics related to aging like wills, identity theft protection and banking. Attendees learned from a series of workshops and were given the opportunity to interface with vendors offering advice and resources related to aging.

“This event was planned to empower Rochester’s aging residents to take charge of their estate planning, and preserve their legacy,” Senior Expressions Founder and CEO Martha Hope said. “As the CEO of Senior Expressions, I’m committed to supporting the wellbeing of seniors through mental health awareness, empowerment and increased access to resources.”

The ROC Senior Estate Planning Summit continues to be a successful avenue for City Council, City officials and advocacy groups to reach one of Rochester’s most vulnerable populations. In its second year, the event proved to be an even larger success than the inaugural summit.

“Our mission is to ensure that older adults in Rochester can navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with age,” Lifespan CEO and President Ann Marie Cook said. “The ROC Senior Estate Summit is a shining example of this mission, and we are proud to partner with Vice President Harris for this important work.”

“I’d like to thank and congratulate Vice President Harris for devoting herself to the wellbeing of our elders,” City Council President Miguel A. Meléndez, Jr. said. “With this work, we continue our work for a more equitable Rochester focused on Safer Neighborhoods, Quality Housing and Equitable Access to Opportunity.”