Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 90 § 90-2
Purpose (Rochester NY Property Code)
Operative Text
The City of Rochester has numerous residential, commercial and industrial buildings, which are substantially sound and habitable structures providing decent housing resources for residents and businesses in the City. The City also has vacant areas and lots. Their condition and maintenance are vital to the protection and enhancement of the well being of residents and businesses in adjacent residential neighborhoods and commercial and industrial areas. In order to conserve these valuable property resources in the City, to enhance the residential neighborhoods of the City and protect the safety, health and welfare of the persons who live, work and recreate in the City, the provisions of this code are established. In conforming with the several provisions of the code, the City of Rochester encourages use of techniques which will promote and encourage conservation of energy and other natural resources.
Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 90 § 90-2 establishes the overarching purpose behind the city's property maintenance code. The provision recognizes that Rochester's residential, commercial, and industrial buildings — as well as its vacant lots — are community resources whose upkeep directly affects the safety, health, and welfare of everyone who lives, works, or recreates in the city. The code also signals a policy preference for maintenance and conservation practices that promote energy efficiency and stewardship of natural resources.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 90 § 90-2 frames the entire property maintenance code as a resource-conservation and public-welfare measure, meaning the substantive requirements that follow in ch. 90 are interpreted through that lens. Operators who keep buildings in sound, habitable condition — and who incorporate energy-efficient practices where feasible — are generally acting in the spirit the code was designed to encourage. Understanding this purpose section helps property managers contextualize compliance obligations that appear elsewhere in ch. 90.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 90 § 90-2 makes clear that the city's property maintenance code exists to protect the safety, health, and welfare of residents, not merely to regulate property owners in the abstract. Tenants who believe a building's condition falls short of the standards ch. 90 was designed to uphold may find it useful to reference this purpose section when raising concerns with city inspectors or housing officials. Tenant-rights organizations in Rochester can help residents understand how this foundational provision connects to specific enforceable requirements elsewhere in the code.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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