Vacant Rental Program

Overview

The Genesee County Vacant Rental Improvement Program (VRIP) was developed in response to a documented shortage of safe, quality, and affordable rental housing identified in the County's 2024 Housing Needs Assessment.

The program provides grant funding to rehabilitate vacant residential units and convert other vacant spaces into long-term rental housing for low- and moderate-income households. The program is intended to help return vacant or unmarketable properties to safe occupancy, address code violations, support neighborhood revitalization, and expand affordable rental housing opportunities throughout Genesee County.

The program is administered locally by Genesee County as the Local Program Administrator, with grant administration and program delivery provided by G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing. The program is funded by New York State Homes and Community Renewal through the Housing Trust Fund Corporation and Office of Community Renewal.

Genesee County VRIP Application

Program Goals

The Vacant Rental Improvement Program is designed to:

Rehabilitate vacant residential and mixed-use spaces into safe, affordable rental housing;
Address code violations and return properties to compliance with applicable standards;
Support properties at risk of continued noncompliance and neighborhood decline;
Expand long-term affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income residents; and
Support neighborhood revitalization and positive public health and safety outcomes.

Award Options and Funding Limits

Two funding options are available. Property owners select the award tier that best fits the proposed rental unit and affordability requirements.

Standard VRP Award

Maximum Award: Up to $50,000 per eligible vacant unit
Tenant Income Limit: Up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI)
Rent Limit: Rent must remain affordable at the 80% AMI level, as determined by the applicable rent and income limit calculator.

Enhanced VRP Award

Maximum Award: Up to $75,000 per eligible vacant unit
Tenant Income Limit: Up to 60% of Area Median Income (AMI)
Rent Limit: Rent must remain affordable at the 60% AMI level, based on the applicable rent and income limit calculator.

Genesee County anticipates approximately 30 Enhanced awards and three Standard awards. Final award amounts are subject to review of the proposed scope of work. Property owner contributions may be required when project costs exceed available grant funding.

Eligible Project Costs

Funding may be used for rehabilitation costs necessary to return eligible vacant units or spaces to safe, quality and affordable long-term rental housing.

Hard Costs

Eligible hard costs include construction labor and materials, up to the applicable per-unit award limit. Examples include:

Structural repairs and correction of code violations;
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC improvements;
Kitchen and bathroom installations or rehabilitation;
Accessibility modifications;
Environmental remediation;
Roofing, window and exterior repairs; and
Other repairs determined necessary to rehabilitate an eligible vacant unit.

Soft Costs

Professional service costs directly attributable to the rehabilitation activity may also be eligible. Soft costs must be reasonable and necessary, must be included within the applicable per-unit funding limit and require prior approval from the Local Program Administrator before they are incurred.

Eligible Properties

Eligible properties must be located within Genesee County and may include:

Vacant properties with outstanding code violations or significant barriers to re-entering the rental market;
Residential properties containing one to five units;
Mixed-use commercial buildings with up to five residential units;
Vacant multifamily units within a property containing five or fewer units;
Single-family homes used as long-term rentals, provided they are not owner-occupied; and
Vacant non-residential properties that will be converted into up to five rental units.

Ineligible Properties

Properties are not eligible for assistance if they:

Are planned for demolition by municipal code enforcement;
Are under foreclosure or bankruptcy proceedings;
Were sold or purchased through a land installment or lease-to-own contract that prevents the required lien from being placed;
Have outstanding federal, state or local liens;
Are not current on mortgage payments, property taxes or utilities;
Do not have required comprehensive insurance, unless an approved limited waiver applies; or
Are owner-occupied single-family homes, unless a separate legal vacant rental unit exists.

Eligible Property Owners and Landlords

Eligible ownership structures may include:

Private individuals;
Not-for-profit organizations;
Public or quasi-public entities;
Eligible business entities, including limited liability companies;
Condominium or cooperative unit owners with required board approval;
Life estate or beneficiary deed holders; and
Inherited property co-owners.

Business entities must disclose all principals and provide an operating agreement. Personal guarantees and signatures are required from all principals.

Property Owner Requirements

Participating owners must be able to provide or demonstrate:

A recorded deed showing eligible ownership of the property;
Comprehensive property insurance equal to the total mortgages plus grant funds;
Current mortgage, property tax, water and sewer payments;
Disclosure of all properties owned in Genesee County;
No history of Fair Housing violations;
No current bankruptcy proceeding or investigation by the Health Department, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or law enforcement;
No arrears on prior Genesee County loans or grants; and
That the owner is not a current Genesee County employee or otherwise prohibited under the program's conflict-of-interest requirements.

Application and Selection Process

The Genesee County Vacant Rental Improvement Program is not a first-come, first-served program. Eligible applications will be evaluated according to established scoring criteria, including property need, project feasibility, owner track record and anticipated community impact.

Projects not selected for initial funding may be placed on a waitlist.

Required Documentation

Selected applicants must provide the following documentation before contract closing:

Completed participant application;
Proof of ownership, including deed documents;
Proof that property taxes are current;
Proof that utilities associated with the property are current;
Proof of property and unit eligibility;
Proof of current comprehensive property insurance;
A letter verifying funds available to complete the project, when applicable; and
Required signed attestations.

Incomplete applications, including applications missing deeds, insurance, tax documentation, financial documentation or required pre-screening items, will not advance for review.

Contractor and Construction Process

After an award is approved, the rehabilitation process generally includes the following steps:

Scope of Work: The consultant develops work specifications and an in-house quote for each assisted unit.
Competitive Bids: The property owner selects two contractors from the approved contractor list to submit sealed bids.
Award and Construction Start: The lowest responsible bid is selected, and work must begin within 30 business days of contract signing.
Inspection and Payment: The contractor or property owner is reimbursed on a cost-reimbursable basis after project progress has been verified by the inspector.

Important Construction Requirements

Property owners may not act as their own contractor;
Immediate family members and business partners may not serve as the contractor;
Repairs completed before an award is made are not reimbursable; and
Change orders exceeding 10% of the approved project cost require County approval.

Ten-Year Regulatory Period and Mortgage Agreement

All assisted units are subject to a 10-year regulatory compliance period beginning at project completion.

As part of this requirement:

A Declaration of Interest, or lien, will be recorded with the Genesee County Clerk for the total amount of VRP funds awarded;
Construction work may not begin until the lien is signed, notarized and recorded;
Annual notarized affidavits from the owner and tenant are required during the compliance period;
Genesee County will forgive the lien upon full compliance at the conclusion of the 10-year period; and
A property may be sold during the compliance period only if the new owner assumes all VRIP obligations.

Important: A property owner may not repay the grant in order to release the affordability or regulatory requirements. These obligations remain with the property for the full 10-year compliance period.

Ongoing Landlord Obligations

During the 10-year regulatory period, participating landlords must comply with all program requirements, including:

Tenant Income Verification: All new tenants must be income-verified before lease signing using required income documentation.
Maximum Rent Limits: Rent must remain within the applicable 60% or 80% AMI affordability limits, which are updated annually based on current HUD figures.
Lease Requirements: Qualified tenants must initially be offered a lease of at least 12 months. Month-to-month arrangements may be permitted following the initial lease period if the required lease option is provided.
Property Maintenance: Assisted units must be maintained in compliance with applicable county building, health and fire codes, municipal ordinances and local rental inspection requirements.
Annual Affidavit: Owners must submit an annual notarized affidavit confirming continued compliance with ownership, tenant income verification, rent limits, property condition and tax status requirements.
Fair Housing Compliance: Owners must comply with all federal Fair Housing laws and the New York State Human Rights Law in tenant selection and tenancy decisions.

Conflict of Interest

The following individuals and entities are not eligible to participate in or financially benefit from the program:

Current Genesee County employees;
Members of the County's governing body, officers or agency staff, and their immediate family members;
State or local elected officials, paid staff to those officials, political party leaders and their immediate family members; and
Any person or business entity with a direct or indirect financial relationship with an ineligible individual.

Application Questions and Program Assistance

The program consultant is available to assist property owners through the application and rehabilitation process.

G&G Municipal Consulting and Grant Writing

Email:
Contact@ggprocess.com

Phone:
585-368-8866

Apply for the Genesee County VRIP