Overview
The City of Rochester implemented the new Infor software system in May 2023 to enhance the management of Code Enforcement, Trade Licensing, Permitting, and other key processes. Additional City functions are planned to transition into this software in the coming years.
The software includes a new public-facing online portal called Civics which provides a suite of self-service functions to help property owners and managers better manage their portfolios and interaction with the City.
This currently includes:
- Designating and updating building owner and
property manager contact information
- Viewing lists of all open code violations per
property
- Submitting work schedule for open Code
Enforcement cases
- Applying for electrical, plumbing, and elevator technician
licenses
Future features include:
- Submitting permit applications for building, electrical, plumbing, and sign permits
- Automated email notifications for inspections, cited violations, expiring Certificates of Occupancy, etc.
- Viewing the new property code compliance score
- Tax bill payments
- Water bill payments
Getting Started with Civics
Please click here to download the full user guide.
The basics:
- Visit the Civics Portal: https://infor.cityofrochester.gov/
- Create a new account if necessary, by clicking “Don’t have an account? Sign up!”
- Claim your properties: click Start a New Application at the top and choose Building Owner Registry to fill out the application form to designate a property you own, or properties where you are authorized to submit official records on their behalf. Click here for the Building Owner Registry detail.
- Once your Building Owner Registry is complete for a property, you will be able to view all records associated with that property. Complete a Building Owner Registry application for every property you own or manage.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Registering as an Individual vs Company in Civics
In almost all circumstances, the City recommends that users create their Civics account as an individual “natural person”, ie “John Smith”, even if they will be conducting business on behalf of an LLC. This will avoid you needing to maintain two or more separate Civics accounts, with separate email addresses.
You are permitted to register a property in Civics via the Building Owner Registry in the role as owner on behalf of any person or company for which you are an authorized agent. This is typically provided through a management agreement, power of attorney, incorporation paperwork, or other similar legal document. Regardless of who is registered in the Building Owner Registry, the property's legal owner (per the deed) retains ultimate legal responsibility for the property and all associated costs. all bills, notices, tickets, fines, and other official communications from the City will continue be addressed to the name of the property owner per the deed on record with the Monroe County Clerk, and mailed to the tax bill mailing address on file with the Bureau of Assessment.
For properties that require a property manager contact to be designated, only a "natural person" may be designated as property manager. A LLC or corporation may not be designated as a property manager.
See the Common Account Setup Scenarios section below and download the full user guide for full detail.
Full User Guide and Contact Info
Please click here to download the full user guide.
For technical support please email CivicsTechSupport@CityofRochester.gov and attach a screenshot of the error or issue you are experiencing. The City does not have the capacity to provide customer support over the phone. Please provide up to 3 business days to receive a response.
To contact your inspector, please lookup their contact info here:
https://maps.cityofrochester.gov/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b7ccd37b38044e93ae724f4a26f5741b
Common Account Setup Scenarios for Owners/Managers for the Building Owner Registry
Scenario
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Recommended Setup
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Not Recommended but Acceptable
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1. I
am property owner “John Smith”
I want
to register a property that I own on the deed as “John Smith”
I also
want to designate myself as the Property Manager
|
The
property owner should create an account as themselves, an individual “natural
person”, “John Smith”
Initiate
the Building Owner Registry from your individual account. Either the property
owner or the owner’s authorized agent may do so
If
your address is local to Rochester you qualify as the property manager and
you will not need to invite anyone else, or do anything further to meet the property
manager requirement
|
|
2. I
am property owner “John Smith”
I want
to register a property that is owned on the deed by an LLC that I own or control
I also
want to designate myself as the Property Manager
|
The property owner should create an account as
themselves, an individual “natural person”, “John Smith”, not as the
LLC
Initiate
the Building Owner Registry from your individual account. Either the property
owner or the owner’s authorized agent may do so
If
your address is local to Rochester you qualify you qualify as the property
manager and you will not need to invite anyone else as property manager
|
If
desired, you can maintain two accounts with two different email addresses:
One for the LLC property owner
One for you as an individual “natural person”
(this is because a company can’t be designated as manager)
Initiate
the BOR from the LLC account, then invite your 2nd account as
manager
|
3. I
am property owner “John Smith”
I want
to register for a property I own on the deed as “John Smith”
I want
to designate a property management company I have hired to manage the
property
|
The property owner should create an account as
themselves, an individual “natural person”, “John Smith”
The
property management company should create an account as an individual
“natural person” (ie “John Smith”), not as the company. The individual chosen
should be a managerial level person who will serve like the company administrator
account for Civics on behalf of all of their employees at the company.
Initiate
the BOR application from the owner’s individual account. Either the property
owner or the owner’s authorized agent may do so. If the property
manager is an authorized agent, they may also initiate the BOR.
Invite
the company’s primary property manager individual account to the BOR
as the property manager. The primary manager can then have their employees
create accounts and invite them as additional secondary contacts to the BOR to
enable them to view and submit records associated with the property. The
primary manager will retain the ability to manage all properties in the company’s
portfolio, including adding and removing secondary contacts as time goes on.
|
|
4. I
am property owner “John Smith”
I want
to register for several properties owned by several different LLCs that I own
or control
I also
want to designate myself as the Property Manager
|
The property owner should create an account as
themselves, an individual “natural person”, “John Smith”, not as the
LLCs
Initiate the Building Owner Registry applications
from the individual account. Either the property owner or the owner’s authorized
agent may do so
If
your address is local to the Rochester are you qualify as the property
manager and you will not need to invite anyone else as property manager. Or, you
can invite another person as property manager.
|
You
will need to maintain several accounts, each with a different email addresses:
One per LLC property owner
One for you as an individual “natural person”
Initiate
the each BOR application from the respective LLC owner account, then invite your
individual account as Property Manager
Alternatively,
you could incorporate a “master LLC” that controls all the subsidiary LLCs,
and make an account for the master LLC. That account could initiate all BOR
applications, and you would still need to invite your individual account as
Property Manager.
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5. I
am property manager “John Smith”, hired by property owner “Jane Doe”
I want
to register a property owned by “Jane Doe” on her behalf
|
The
property manager should create an account as themselves as an individual “natural
person” (ie “John Smith”), not as a company
John
Smith should initiate the Building Owner Registry from your their individual
account. Either the property owner or the owner’s authorized agent may
do so. Most hired property managers are authorized agents.
If
John Smith’s address is local to Rochester he may qualify as the property
manager and you will not need to invite anyone else as property manager. You
may invite additional contacts to the BOR application as desired to enable them
to view records associated with the property.
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