ROCHESTER, N.Y. — News10NBC’s Tom Kowalski is following up on Rochester’s Peace Village and the hold-up with approval for the city’s homeless encampment.
The city-sanctioned homeless encampment was closed by the City in March 2024, with the plan to make way for a new type of shelter. But this week, the Rochester City Council delayed the vote to fund it for another two weeks.
The funding comes from the opioid compensation fund and would total more than $1 million for the project. Kowalski spoke with City Council President Miguel Melendez about what exactly that money will go toward and the nonprofit that owns the land about what the funds will go toward.
“In the 48 hours preceding the vote, there was a lot of information that the council received in terms of answers to questions and follow ups from some of the vendors that are part of this project,” Melendez said. “And I thought it was most appropriate to allow council members to have some time to review that information.”
Melendez said that information pertains to the eligibility of those staying at the Peace Village.
“Individuals who have been either sanctioned out of county shelters or other places, or otherwise, banned from other places, they would be allowed to be here,” Melendez said.
He said the site would prescribe to a harm reduction model. Substance use wouldn’t be allowed inside the gates of Peace Village, but it wouldn’t preclude someone from being there if they were struggling with substance use disorder.
One of those sanctioned unhoused people is Izell Mitchell, who’s faced homelessness on and off since 1993. He said the Peace Village would be a massive help to him.
“It would help a lot because they see that I’m going to programs, which I’ve been starting the treatment the past week or two,” Mitchell said. “Because some people like me is sanctioned, so it would help me get back on unsanctioned and get help.”
Victor Sanchez is with the City Roots Community Land Trust. It owns the land Peace Village sits on and contracts with another nonprofit, Person Centered Housing Options, to operate the site.
“The biggest barrier is really the staffing,” Sanchez said.
The funding from the vote will go toward hiring employees, but Sanchez said now the only problem will be with hiring enough people.
“PCHO is going to have to bring in a lot of additional staffing to be able to manage the village and be able to provide the proper services,” Sanchez said. “So it’s really hard to tell, and especially in this environment of being able to bring proper staffing into place.”
It’s still not clear how exactly one would sign up to stay at the Peace Village, but Sanchez expects many people to be walk-ins. The city council is expected to hold a special meeting to vote on those funds for the Peace Village on Oct. 6.
If the vote passes, both the city and Peace Village managers expect it to open in early to mid-November.
Why Rochester City Council delayed the vote to fund the Peace Village homeless encampment until Oct. 6 WHEC.com.
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