County Unveils Sain Building Development Strategy

Building Will Be Declared Surplus & Redeveloped For Mixed-Use Commercial & Workforce Housing

New City, NY – On Wednesday County Executive Ed Day, alongside nine members of the County Legislature and Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, announced a critical strategy to redevelop the Sain Building located at 18 New Hempstead Road, which has been vacant since 2017, into mixed-use commercial space and workforce housing.

“Rockland County is at a crossroads,” said County Executive Ed Day. “We’ve heard from seniors, families, business owners, and young adults about the challenges they face in finding affordable housing. This housing crisis is not just about homes—it’s about the future of our community. We must act decisively to ensure that Rockland remains a place where people can live, work, and thrive.”

Following the Legislature’s action to declare this property surplus, which Leadership has agreed to do, the County’s Division of Purchasing will issue a Request for Proposals or RFP for the redevelopment of this roughly 3.69-acre site.

Rockland County Legislators in attendance included Lon Hofstein, Beth Davidson, Doug Jobson, Will Kennelly, Jesse Malowitz, Aney Paul, Ray Sheridan, Aron Wieder, and Itamar Yeger. Clarkstown Town Supervisor George Hoehmann also attended the announcement.  

Rockland County Legislative Chair Jay Hood Jr. said, “the national housing crisis is happening right here in Rockland and taking steps to address it is important for our residents, our economy and our county’s quality of life. The new housing loan fund and the redevelopment of existing county-owned properties such as the Sain building can assist the overall effort to increase housing opportunities. I look forward to working with my legislative colleagues and the County Executive on these vital initiatives.”

Rockland County Legislative Vice Chair Aney Paul said, “I want to congratulate our County Executive and all who have helped get us to this point. There are potentially many benefits once the property is declared ‘surplus’ and we launch the process to solicit development ideas. So many people are moving to Rockland County because ours is one the best counties and we must work to ensure that trend continues.”

Rockland County Legislative Minority Leader Lon Hofstein said, “placing this property on the tax rolls will provide an additional source of funds to help improve county services. Affordable housing for our essential workers will help address a long-standing need in our community. Additionally, it is our hope those who will reside here will support local businesses. I thank the County Executive for his determination to transition this eyesore to a vision of development & progress.”

Rockland County Legislator & Chair of Legislature’s Committee on Economic Development and Housing, Jesse Malowitz said, “when the County Executive announced housing as one of his main priorities during his State of the County, I enthusiastically came up to him to offer my full support as chair of the Economic Development & Housing Committee. I couldn’t be happier to see this major step happening to develop this property and turn it into something that benefits the public, local businesses, and all stakeholders involved. I want to once again thank the County Executive and offer my full commitment to work together to make this the best possible project for the public.”

Clarkstown Town Supervisor George Hoehmann said, “Our comprehensive plan called for mixed-use housing here at the Sain building and in anticipation of this day I want to thank the County Executive and County Legislature for working together and their vision for this property. We look forward to this property coming onto the tax rolls and pledge my support and support all the staff in the Town of Clarkstown.”

In the Spring, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress completed the County’s first-ever comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment which identified significant gaps in housing affordability and availability including:

• +40% of Rockland residents spend +30% of their income on housing costs.
• The median home price in the county has soared to $700,000.
• The median household income in Rockland is $100,000, which qualifies for a $260,000 mortgage. (a huge gap for the average resident)
  
  To address this crisis, the County has launched several key initiatives, including: 

• Housing Action Loan Opportunity: With the unanimous support of the County Legislature, $13.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds have been allocated to provide direct loans for creating or preserving workforce housing. Demand for the program has been high, with application requests totaling over $29.7 million.
• Countywide Housing Education Campaign: A new marketing and education campaign will be launched soon to inform residents about the county’s housing needs and dispel common myths about affordable housing.
• Redevelopment of the Sain Building: The county is moving forward with plans to redevelop the Sain Building property at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City. This project will create new workforce housing for essential workers, generate nearly half a million dollars in property taxes annually, and enhance the local community.

Adam Bosch, CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress said, “Rockland County should be applauded for pursuing smart and aggressive strategies to combat its housing shortage. If the Hudson Valley hopes to alleviate its housing crisis, local governments must play an active role by allowing, encouraging, and incentivizing more housing for people across the full spectrum of incomes. County Executive Ed Day and the County Legislature have created positive momentum Wednesday by announcing a plan that will help to preserve a workforce, support local businesses, and give the next generation a chance to be home in Rockland County.”  

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The announcement was live streamed on the Rockland County Government Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rocklandgov

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