Rochester, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 90 § 90-70
Penalties for offenses (Rochester NY Property Code)
Operative Text
A. Any owner or operator who, having been served with a notice and order to remove any violation of this chapter or any nuisance, fails to comply therewith within the time fixed by the Department shall be guilty of an offense punishable for each offense by a fine or penalty not exceeding those set forth in Chapter 52 , Enforcement Procedures. Every day of such a violation may be held to constitute a separate offense. B. Violations of this chapter may be referred to the Municipal Code Violations Bureau, wherein violators shall be subject to the penalties set forth in § 13A-11 of the Municipal Code. C. Any owner or operator who violates any section of Article II of this chapter shall be subject to an immediate ticket. Every day of such violation may be held to constitute a separate offense for which additional tickets may be issued and for which penalties shall increase as set forth in § 13A-11 of the Municipal Code. D. Any business, as defined in § 90-32 , operating without a business permit may be subject to an immediate notice and order to vacate that portion of the premises occupied by said business, which shall not be reoccupied until such time as the Commissioner has authorized its occupancy.
Rochester City Code § 90-70 establishes a tiered penalty framework for owners and operators who fail to comply with housing code requirements. Once a notice and order to correct a violation is issued and the deadline passes without compliance, each continuing day of non-compliance can be treated as a separate offense, with fines governed by Chapter 52 and § 13A-11 of the Municipal Code. Violations may be routed through the Municipal Code Violations Bureau, and businesses operating without the required permit face the additional consequence of an immediate order to vacate the affected portion of the premises until the Commissioner authorizes re-occupancy.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant operators under Rochester City Code § 90-70 act promptly on any notice and order issued by the Department, correcting cited violations before the stated deadline to avoid escalating daily penalties. Because each day of continued non-compliance can constitute a separate offense—with fines scaling under Chapter 52 and § 13A-11—property managers generally maintain records showing timely remediation and keep business permits current to avoid the risk of a vacate order. Operators of businesses defined under § 90-32 should ensure permit status is confirmed before occupying any portion of a premises, as operating without one can trigger an immediate order to vacate that space.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Rochester City Code § 90-70 gives the City enforcement tools that can benefit tenants when an owner or operator fails to correct housing code violations after receiving an official notice and order. If a landlord has not remediated a cited condition by the Department's deadline, tenants may report continued non-compliance to the Municipal Code Violations Bureau, which has authority to impose penalties under § 13A-11 of the Municipal Code. Tenants dealing with unresolved violations may also wish to contact a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand how an owner's failure to comply with § 90-70 might be relevant to their situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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