City of Rochester Hires Attorney to Focus on Housing Cases

City of Rochester

News Release

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(Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022) – The City of Rochester Law Department has hired Michael A. Furlano to support its efforts to address housing quality and code enforcement.

Furlano’s hiring follows directly from a recommendation of the Mayor’s Housing Quality Task Force. He started in the job earlier this month.

“Negligent landlords need to know we mean business when we see violations that affect the quality of life of the people who live here,” said Mayor Malik D. Evans. “I am grateful for the work of the Housing Quality Task Force in offering actionable steps we can take to make a difference on the issue of safe and code-compliant housing for our residents.”

Furlano will support the code enforcement officers at the Municipal Code Violations Bureau and bring more proceedings in City Court and State Supreme Court when property owners don’t comply, including seeking contempt orders. He will also support the Neighborhood Service Centers in their efforts to address the “worst of the worst,” and network with organizations such as the Empire Justice Center, JustCause, the Legal Aid Society and LawNY to coordinate efforts. Finally, he will be researching and connecting with other municipalities to help the City determine best practices for improving housing stock.

Furlano has extensive experience in housing law, most recently as the Senior Housing Attorney at the Empire Justice Center and as Tenant Advocacy Coordinating Attorney and Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to add an attorney with Mike’s housing experience to our team. He can hit the ground running in this new role, which was added to the Law Department as part of the 2022-23 budget, and as a recommendation of the Housing Quality Task Force,” said Corporation Counsel Linda Kingsley. “Just as my department has aggressively pursued businesses that have negatively impacted the quality of life of city residents, this position will allow us to do the same to ensure that property owners provide legal and code compliant housing in this city,”

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News Media: For more information, contact Communications Director Barbara Pierce at Barbara.Pierce@cityofrochester.gov.

The City of Rochester administration of Mayor Malik D. Evans is committed to promoting positive systemic and structural change by providing transparent and collaborative leadership, offering equitable access to essential municipal services, enabling productive intergovernmental, private, and non-profit partnerships, and promoting increased quality of life through investments that create vibrant neighborhoods and employment opportunities, making Rochester a hope-filled city with an exciting future. For more information, visit http://www.cityofrochester.gov.