Three vacant lots in Rochester's Northeast neighborhood are now homes and a clinic.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sept. 30 that True North, a $39 million affordable and supportive housing development, is complete, according to the governor's office. The project has three newly built buildings within a half mile of each other: two residential buildings with 70 apartments, and an outpatient wellness clinic.
The release places the project in the Northeast neighborhood, while Mayor Malik Evans and DePaul's president described it as Upper Falls; both describe the same area in the city's northeast quadrant.
"True North transforms underutilized vacant land into a resource that will benefit residents and the surrounding neighborhood for years to come," Hochul said.
Who's behind it and who it serves
True North was developed by DePaul, the Finger Lakes Area Counseling and Recovery Agency (FLACRA), Person Centered Housing Options and the Rochester Interfaith Development Corporation, with input from Rochester's faith community and neighborhood leaders.
All 70 apartments are affordable to households earning up to 80% of area median income. Thirty-five include on-site supportive services for residents who have experienced homelessness and for people 55 and older who need support to live independently. DePaul and Person Centered Housing Options provide services including links to medical care, transportation, financial counseling and work readiness training.
Eighteen apartments are fully accessible for residents with mobility disabilities, and four for residents with sensory disabilities.
The third building is an 8,700-square-foot clinic at 373 North St. run by FLACRA. It's open to the whole community and offers mental health and substance use counseling, recovery groups, medication-assisted treatment and case management. It can serve up to 3,000 people a year.
"This new space allows us to provide truly integrated, whole-person care in a therapeutic environment designed around dignity, comfort, and connection," said FLACRA President and CEO Jennifer Carlson.
How it was built and paid for
The development is all-electric and was designed to Enterprise Green Communities 2020 Plus standards, with Energy Star appliances, solar panels, water-conserving plumbing and low- or no-VOC materials. It's near public transit, a library, a recreation center and a senior center.
Financing included federal and state low-income housing tax credits expected to generate nearly $20 million in equity, $10.5 million in state housing subsidy, $5.5 million from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance's Homeless Housing and Assistance Program and a $750,000 HUD HOME grant through the city. More than $385,000 came from the Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between the state housing agency and NYSERDA. The Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative is funding operations.
The state's announcement did not name a general contractor.
"These new apartments and wellness clinic transform formerly vacant lots into spaces which provide a stable foundation for individuals to take meaningful steps towards a brighter future," said DePaul President Mark Fuller.
Pastor Franklin R. Ross, president of the Rochester Interfaith Development Corporation, said the project "reflects the spirit of unity and compassion among faith communities."
State housing commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said True North joins nearly 5,000 affordable homes built or preserved in Rochester under Hochul. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said it "will serve as the model for providing holistic support to our community members most in need."
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer said the federal low-income housing tax credit delivered more than $16 million to build the apartments. State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara Guinn said the 35 supportive units and the clinic "will benefit the entire community."
Assembly Member Demond Meeks said pairing affordable living with on-site mental health and recovery services "addresses the root causes of housing instability."
Why it matters for Contractors
True North is a model worth studying: scattered-site infill, with three small buildings on separate vacant lots instead of one big one. That kind of job suits local and regional contractors, but it also means separate site prep, utility connections and inspections at each location, plus careful scheduling to keep crews moving between sites. As cities like Rochester look to fill vacant land, more projects may follow this pattern. All-electric systems, solar and green certification are now standard on state-funded supportive housing, so electrical, HVAC and solar subs with that experience stay in demand. A clinic building on the same job adds a different set of interior and mechanical requirements than the apartments.