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Jewish community in Rockland County growing

New Square's population increased by more than 32 percent in just four years, making it the fastest-growing community in Rockland and the third-fastest growing in New York state, new census statistics show.
The Census Bureau uses a formula to count building permits and estimate a community's population in 2004. The figures are being released today.
New Square village officials did not return a call requesting comment.
Spring Valley Mayor George Darden criticized the numbers, which showed that his village was one of only two in Rockland to record population losses, according to the census.
"Those numbers can't possibly be right," Darden said. "I would absolutely dispute that."
Spring Valley saw a 0.1 percent population decrease and Suffern a 0.2 percent population decrease during the survey period.
The village has disputed previous census tallies and Darden said he would take action to get the numbers corrected. He said Spring Valley had seen significant increases in the numbers of Latinos and Hasidic Jews living in the village.
Spring Valley is home to residents hailing from 37 nations, Darden said, and those responsible for counting the people would obviously encounter communication issues. He said that, in large part, would explain why an incorrect tally was made.
"We're probably the fastest-growing community in the county," Darden said.
Rockland's overall population increased by just 2.4 percent, or about 6,900 people, during 2000-2004, the numbers showed.
New Square wasn't the only fast-growing village in Rockland. The census figures show that of the top 10 fastest-growing communities in the county, five were villages in Ramapo — New Square, Airmont, Pomona, Wesley Hills and Kaser — and the sixth was Ramapo itself.
Airmont Mayor John Layne, whose village placed second on the Rockland list, attributed most of the growth to new senior-citizen housing off Airmont Road and to young families throughout the village adding children. Airmont saw its population increase by 10.5 percent, or 820 people.
"Usually when you're No. 2, you're supposed to try harder, but I don't want to get to No. 1," Layne said.
Rosemary Roldan's family needed more space and found it in the home they purchased in Stony Point in 2002.
The Roldans were among the newcomers who helped make Stony Point the fastest-growing town in Rockland.
Since moving into Stony Point, the Roldans, who purchased an existing home, have noticed even more growth.
"Rockland's growing in general, but the town is getting very populated," Roldan said.
The percentage increases don't tell the full story.
For example, it took just 720 people to give Stony Point a 5.1 percent population increase. Ramapo's population grew just 3.4 percent, but that represented 3,715 more people and Clarkstown's population grew a scant 1.2 percent, representing 955 people. Haverstraw town grew by 2.5 percent, but added 853 people.
Continued growth in Rockland is no surprise, although the rate of growth may be.
During a public presentation last month, Arlene Miller, the Rockland County Planning Department's principal planner, said the county's Hispanic, Haitian and Orthodox Jewish populations were growing significantly. Their needs will lead to land-use changes, she said, including the need for more housing.
Single-family homes would continue to be the most popular type of housing in Rockland, Miller said, because — despite the recent increase in prices — Rockland's housing market remained more affordable than Westchester County and New York City.
Rosemary Roldan said her family, which had lived in Piermont and hoped to remain in Orangetown, found housing at the right price by moving to Stony Point just before significant price increases there.
"At the time we bought," she said, "it was what we could afford."

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050630/NEWS03/506300362/1017