First hour: Fashion Week of Rochester 2017
Second hour: Addressing Rochester's problem with zombie homes
Fashion Week of Rochester kicks off in October, and in one sense, it's a great opportunity to have some fun with creative ideas and fashion in different settings. But there's more to Fashion Week than runways and models. It goes back to 2010 -- the year the event began -- when organizers used it as a vehicle to raise funds and awareness for homeless youth and adults in crisis in Rochester. We'll talk about services provided by the Center for Youth, including the Crisis Nursery, and we'll preview the lineup for Fashion Week. In studio:
- Elaine Spaull, executive director of the Center for Youth
- Meghan Mundy, chief fashion organizer for Fashion Week of Rochester
- Sarah Vitberg, mother
- Effie Youme, fashion designer and Ivory Coast native
Then in our second hour, Mayor Lovely Warren announced Tuesday that the City of Rochester will demolish 175 vacant homes. The issue of zombie properties and what to do about them has been a source of debate in the community. Mayor Warren says vacant homes become harbors for drug users, they aren't safe, and they bring down neighborhood morale and property values. She says it's time to take down those buildings and start fresh. Some local organizations have different ideas about what to do. We'll talk to stakeholders about their thoughts on City Hall's plan. In studio:
- Joe Di Fiore, president of City Roots Community Land Trust and board member for the Beechwood Neighborhood Coalition
- Julie Gelfand, member of Take Back the Land
- Theo Finn, president of the Greater Rochester Housing Partnership
*Note: We extended an invitation to representatives from the City of Rochester, but no one was available to participate.
