Rochester, Henrietta among NY’s certified ‘Pro-Housing Communities’

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Five area municipalities have been certified as Pro-Housing Communities by New York State, and another 11 are in the midst of the certification process, part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to increase the housing supply at a more rapid pace.

Cities, towns and villages that obtain certification from Housing and Community Renewal are eligible to obtain funding from a pool of $650 million in discretionary spending.

The city of Rochester, city of Canandaigua, town of Henrietta, village of Newark and village of Phelps have been certified.

Another 11 area communities have submitted applications and are undergoing the certification process: the towns of Canandaigua, Irondequoit, Lima and Macedon, and the villages of Brockport, Churchville, Hilton, Perry, Pittsford, Spencerport and Webster.

Funding tied to Pro-Housing Community certification includes several significant programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, NY Forward, Regional Council Capital Fund, New York Main Street, New York capital grants and the Public Transportation Modernization Enhancement Program.

The certification requirement was part of the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget.

State officials say the program is meant to “unshackle” housing development by streamlining permitting and altering zoning in some areas.

“Across our state, local leaders are joining our Pro-Housing Communities program to take a stand against New York’s housing crisis and commit to building the homes New Yorkers deserve,” Hochul said in a news release. “My administration is ready to work with any community that shares our determination to build safe, stable and affordable housing, and I encourage even more local leaders to launch their applications, get certified and help us achieve our housing potential in every part of the state.”

Statewide, 61 municipalities have been certified and another 152 have started the process.

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