For the third time in three years, Rockland County has held a housing forum designed to bring about new strategies for realizing the county’s housing potential.
County Executive Ed Day and Community Development Director Alexandra Obremski acted as hosts for the event that had about 200 attendees representing developers, state and county agencies, planning and legal experts.
“There is no doubt that Rockland County faces housing challenges that impact a wide range of residents—from teachers and first responders to seniors and working families—we also see tremendous opportunities,” Day said. “By bringing together stakeholders, we can explore innovative, sustainable solutions that ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable housing and can build strong community connections, while preserving the character of neighborhoods our residents love.”
Day said that he looks forward to “continuing to work with the County Legislature on this critical challenge, and I urge all of our stakeholders to join me in knocking down one of the biggest barriers our families face. “We are making real progress and we will not stop fighting to improve housing affordability for everyone.”
One of the featured speakers was Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas of New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).
“We want to make housing affordable for New Yorkers so that they can live up to their best potential here in the state,” Visnauskas said. “We are very focused on making sure that we are accessible, that we have programs you can rely on, that we have programs that make sense for communities, and funding things that you want to see getting built.”
Obremski said, “Housing that is safe, stable, and affordable across a broad range of incomes is critical to the continued economic growth and stability of Rockland County.”
The county’s first housing forum took place in 2023 and featured Rockland’s first comprehensive community and affordable housing needs assessment. Findings from that assessment included:
- Nearly 60% of homes in Rockland are single-family detached homes that averaged $700,000 in price;
- The median household income in Rockland was $100,000, which only qualified for a $260,000 mortgage;
- A housing deficit of 4,200 units existed for those making under $60,000, including essential workers such as teachers, first responders, retail workers, and government employees;
- More than 40% of Rockland residents spend 30% were spending more of their household income on housing, leaving little extra for all other purchases or emergencies.
