(Rochester, NY) – Citizen Action of New York has launched a new Economic Justice Committee in Rochester, made up of local residents who are committed to tackling poverty and economic inequality head-on. The committee is open to all Rochester-area residents and is focused on addressing the systems that keep communities in crisis—especially around housing, wages, banking access, and tax fairness.
The Rochester Economic Justice Committee is grounded in the belief that poverty is a policy choice—and we can choose differently. The committee is organizing local residents, faith leaders, block clubs, tenant unions, and community groups to identify urgent community needs and push for bold local and state-level solutions.
Current campaigns of the Economic Justice Committee include:
- Affordable Rent Now: Petitioning the City of Rochester to adopt a new ordinance that calculates affordable housing costs based on City Median Income (CMI), rather than Area Median Income (AMI), to more accurately reflect what Rochester residents can actually afford.
- Expand Housing Vouchers: Fighting to increase funding for housing vouchers and expand eligibility. These vouchers are vital for both renters and first-time homeowners to access safe, stable housing.
- A Living Wage for Rochester: Advocating for a $22–$25 per hour minimum wage to ensure full-time workers can afford basic needs amid rising costs. No one working full time should live in poverty.
- The Bank of Rochester Act: Pushing for the creation of a public bank that would reinvest local dollars into low-income communities, small businesses, and infrastructure—keeping wealth circulating in Rochester and laying the groundwork for a statewide model.
At the state level, Citizen Action is also fighting for legislation that lifts communities out of poverty, including: the Baby Bucks Bill providing supplemental nutrition assistance for new and expecting mothers; the End Loan Sharking Act closing predatory lending loopholes; and a Gate Money Bill program to reduce recidivism.
These bold policies are part of the broader Invest in Our New York campaign to make the ultra-wealthy pay what they owe and fully fund the services our communities need. With deep cuts to federal programs and social safety nets, it’s more urgent than ever to demand economic justice and shared prosperity.