DOJ Reaches Agreement With Village About Increasing Affordable Housing

The agreement will result in the completion of 22 units of affordable rental housing in Spring Valley over the next 5 years.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached an agreement with the Village of Spring Valley, New York, to resolve a lawsuit over the village's failure to meet its affordable housing obligations. Under the agreement, Spring Valley must ensure the completion of 22 affordable rental units by December 1, 2030, with the units required to be occupied by households with incomes at or below 75 percent of the Area Median Income for Rockland County. The agreement also requires Spring Valley to ensure appropriate monitoring of HUD grantees and institute training for the village's employees regarding the Fair Housing Act and related federal requirements.

Why it matters

The agreement aims to address the lack of affordable housing in Spring Valley, which is a growing concern in many communities across the country. The DOJ's involvement highlights the importance of enforcing fair housing laws and ensuring that local governments fulfill their obligations to provide access to affordable housing for residents.

The details

The agreement resolves a lawsuit filed by the DOJ against the Village of Spring Valley and Rockland County over their failure to meet the terms of a 2018 Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The VCA required Spring Valley and Rockland County to build 62 units of affordable housing, but only four units were completed by the time the lawsuit was filed in 2025. Under the new agreement, Spring Valley must ensure the completion of 22 affordable rental units by the end of 2030, with the units required to be affordable to households with incomes at or below 75% of the Area Median Income for Rockland County.

  • The VCA between HUD, Spring Valley, and Rockland County was entered into in 2018.
  • The lawsuit was filed by the DOJ in 2025.
  • Under the new agreement, Spring Valley must ensure the completion of 22 affordable rental units by December 1, 2030.

The players

Jay Clayton

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Village of Spring Valley

A Rockland County village that reached an agreement with the DOJ to increase the amount of affordable housing in the community.

Rockland County

A defendant in the DOJ's lawsuit, which was also a party to the 2018 VCA with HUD.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

The federal agency that entered into the 2018 VCA with Spring Valley and Rockland County.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I applaud the commitment of the Village of Spring Valley to build more affordable housing as part of this resolution. Local regulations, including restrictions on new construction and unduly burdensome permitting processes, are driving housing construction costs out of sight. It's basic economics: if it costs too much to build new homes, the cost of existing homes is only going to go up. This agreement shows there is a way forward, and we appreciate the commitment of Spring Valley to lower the costs of, and time it takes, to build affordable housing.”

— Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (patch.com)

What’s next

The judge will oversee the implementation of the agreement, ensuring that Spring Valley meets the deadlines and requirements for the construction of the 22 affordable rental units.

The takeaway

This agreement highlights the ongoing challenges communities face in providing affordable housing and the importance of federal enforcement of fair housing laws. By working with the DOJ, Spring Valley has committed to taking concrete steps to increase the availability of affordable housing, which could serve as a model for other communities struggling with similar issues.