ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Do you make less than $42,000 per year? The apartments being built on Plymouth and Main Street in downtown Rochester may be perfect for you, with rent prices starting as low as $500 per month.

The Center City Courtyard will be able to home dozens of families in one and two bedroom apartments. Commissioner Dana Miller says it’s an important step in revitalizing downtown.

“So one of our goals in the city is to try and increase the amount of housing, but also to create buildings that that make a statement. And this building is one of those buildings. It will have 164 units when it’s completed. About 60 of those units will be supportive. Housing for folks that need additional services and the remainder of the units will be affordable housing,” Miller said.

And for those who work in the community, like music teacher Bob Pizzutiello, he says it can be life changing for these families.

“I started a music program for it, introduced jazz to urban students. It’s called Dream Seeds. And so I’ve known the families of Dream Seeds students for now going on ten years. Dream Seeds is currently at the YMCA. And so I’ve gotten to know these families and they are struggling to meet the financial needs, many of them of maintaining a more expensive apartment elsewhere. So, having a safe place to live downtown at an affordable rent would allow them an opportunity to then grow their families and to support their children as their children age and are able to then have their own lives,” Pizzutiello said.

The Center City Courtyard is expected to be completed in summer next year.

According to the State Division of Homes and Community Renewal, the building will include 95 units for families who experiencing or are at risk of being homeless. They’ll have access to on site support services.

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