ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester City Council voted to approve reinstating Peace Village, the city’s only sanctioned homelessness encampment.
The council voted Tuesday evening. One member abstained, while the rest voted to approve the proposal and reopen Peace Village.
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.
The plan uses about $1.2 million from the opioid settlement fund to hire staff who will manage the encampment and help residents secure resources.
City Council President Miguel Melendez thanked the council for their work over the last two weeks since delaying the vote to give more time to review the proposal.
He also noted that while this wasn’t a final solution, he believed it was an important start.
“This will not be a panacea, this will not solve all the challenges in the community, and that this is really a starting point for the conversations that we need to continue to have in this community,” said Melendez.
Right before the vote, council members approved an amendment that prohibits armed security inside the encampment. They then discussed whether to allow tents in the pallet encampment and if full sobriety should be required to live there.
News10NBC’s Tom Kowalski was also at Tuesday’s meeting. Kowalski will go in-depth on the outcome of the vote on News10NBC at 11 p.m.
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