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 Landlord Fund Program Guidelines

Program Overview

EMMA and Beechwood are two neighborhoods home to many rent-burdened families and at risk of gentrification. This fund is provided to landlords in exchange for compliance with a five-year affordability guarantee and automatic option to renew for tenants. This program assists landlords with one or more properties in EMMA and Beechwood to undertake maintenance and repairs, with the goal of improving the affordability and quality of the rental market as a whole in the area. Preference is given to occupied units in which landlords can provide tenant references.

The grant functions as a forgivable loan. The loan will be forgiven in equal increments over the five-year term as the landlord complies with the terms of the agreement.  Qualifying landlords may apply once every six months. Priority is given to first-time applicants.  Based on funds availability and other factors, program recipients are welcome to apply for grants for additional qualifying projects. Funds are paid upon Connected Communities’ receipt of invoice(s) for eligible maintenance and repair activities. The funds may be recaptured with a rate of 20% interest added if a landlord breaks the terms of the agreement or commits any illegal practices against tenants of the units during the five-year compliance period. In the event of a sale, the selling landlord has options either repay the unearned portion of the grant or provide assurances along with the buyer that buyer will abide by the remaining term of the agreement. 

Grant Awards: Up to $5,000 for a single unit 
Up to $7,000 for two or more units in the same property 
Expected # of grants: 20-22 
Compliance Period Ends 5 years After Approval

Eligible Uses Of Funds  

Only certain maintenance and repair activities will be eligible for reimbursement under this grant. These activities are intended to decrease neighborhood transiency, eviction rates, and barriers to responsible upkeep for small, local landlords. Proposed activities must be approved by the tenant. All funds must be used for properties in the EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods. 

Applicant Eligibility  

Residential Rental property owners in the city of Rochester are eligible for this program if they:
 

  • Own a rental unit in EMMA or Beechwood. To see if your property is within neighborhood boundaries, click here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Q1KHwKSfRLuwE39JdQY2WmmGGq3EMspF&usp=sharing  

  • Are current on all property taxes 

  • Are not in mortgage foreclosure for any of their properties  

  • Are in good standing with code enforcement on all of their properties  

  • Are not on the Federal Excluded Parties Entity List  

  • Willing to submit proposed unit(s) to a free home energy assessment from PathStone 

Application Requirements  

  • Application form: 

       - Basic owner contact information 

       - List of all properties owned in the City of Rochester, including by LLCs  

  • Program agreement with blanks, filled in and signed 

  • - Checked boxes for eligible maintenance/repair activities planned  

  • Signed W-9  

  • Completed conflict of interest disclosure form (if applicable)

  • Photos of areas in the unit planned for maintenance or minor repair

Reimbursement Documentation Requirements  

  • Reimbursement request form  

  • Copy of executed lease agreement with tenant (may not include terms listed on p. 2) 

  • Signed statement from tenant verifying awareness of the terms of this grant program and their right to contact Connected Communities in the event that the terms are violated 

  • Landlord expense verification 

  • Invoice/receipt(s) for materials purchased 

  • Photos of the areas in the unit where the maintenance/repairs took place  

Connected Communities reserves the right to inspect any work completed through the grant before funding is dispensed. 

Landlord Fund Application

This application and document checklist will instruct you on which documents to include with your application.


Please complete the application and attach all of the documents as indicated below. Do not submit original documents; please make copies.


Application Document Checklist

1. Copy of unit lease(s: Please indicate when the lease term ends for occupied units or when the unit is vacant for unoccupied units.

2. Copy of photo ID for the applicant. Acceptable forms of ID such as driver’s license, stat-issued ID, military ID, D, or passport.

3. Completed W9 form.

4. Copy of rental property insurance.

5. Copy of current mortgage statement. Owner must be current with their mortgage and not subject to mortgage foreclosure at the time of application.

6. Property must be in overall good condition.


Sign and date the application and include all of the above-required documentation.

INCOMPLETE applications cannot be processed.

Birthday
Race/Ethnicity: African American
African American
White
Asian
Native American
Hispanic
Other
Prefer Not to Answer

Rental Property Questions

4. Are any of these properties commercial rental spaces?
Yes
No

Grant Questionnaire

Estimated Cost

Please reflect on your role with respect to your tenants and the EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods by answering the following questions in 3-5 sentences.

Please read the following grant application terms and sign at the bottom to indicate your understanding and desire to have your application processed.

• I /We have read and understand the Landlord Affordability Fund Program Guidelines, and to the best of my/our knowledge, the application above complies with the requirements included in those guidelines.

• I/We understand that this application does not guarantee that I/We will receive a grant. This application determines if I/we are eligible for a grant. I/We understand that receiving a grant depends, in part, on

whether I/we are eligible, the availability of funds, and when my application is considered complete.

• I /We acknowledge that additional information and/or documentation may be requested from me/us.

• I /We authorize the Connected Communities to verify the accuracy of the information provided with the application.

• I/We will submit to a free energy assessment if applicable.

• I /We agree to allow Connected Communities and its consultants reasonable access to the property to verify rehabilitation and/or maintenance work related to the program.

• I/We understand that this program involves a forgivable loan and that if the terms of the agreement are not met, all or a portion of the grant may be recaptured with interest.

• I /We certify under penalty of law that all the information and documents I/we provided for this application are true, accurate, and complete to the best of my/our knowledge. It will be grounds for denial of my/our

application if it is found that I/we have falsified information or provided misleading information.

• I /We understand my responsibilities as a landlord participating in this grant program, should I/we be awarded this grant.

Date

Contact Information 

Please contact Shawn Hughes, Director of Housing and Asset Management with any questions at 

shawn@connectedcommunitiesroc.org or 585-488-4881. 

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