Plan to Rehabilitate Vacant Houses Approved by Empire State Development
Empire State Development has approved a program designed to tackle Rochester's vacant house troubles.
It will allow the city to create what's known as a Land Bank. The program takes on the cost of turning vacant homes in the city into sell-able properties, by acquiring and fixing up the houses.
Leaders say it's cheaper to renovate than it is to demolish homes, and it does more for the neighborhoods in which they're located.