Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren has sent to City Council her plan for spending more than $200 million in American Rescue Plan funds allocated to Rochester by the federal government.
The mayor’s plan says she wants to focus the money on the well being of families and improving city neighborhoods based on the city’s 2034 Comprehensive Plan. It has four major sections:
- A guaranteed basic income pilot program, details of which are being worked out by the city’s Reparations and Universal Basic Income Committee. It also includes job training funds for green energy jobs and funds the ROC the Riverway project to remodel the old Erie Canal Aqueduct which is currently the Broad Street Bridge.
- A “Buy the Blok” program to build 100 new single family homes on vacant parcels, to be owned by city residents. It also sets up a city housing trust fund and pays to replace the city’s remaining lead water service lines from curbs to homes.
- A plan to locate a unique asset in each corner of the city, such as by revitalizing the Bull’s Head commercial area and building several new city libraries.
- And a plan to sustain and enhance Rochester parks, including a Civil Rights Heritage Site and improvements to Durand Eastman Beach.