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Albany County approves purchase of former Saint Rose parcels as residents protest plans for sheriff’s office
Summary
The Albany County Legislature approved a resolution authorizing purchase of parcels at the former Saint Rose campus and amending the 2025 budget despite sustained public comment opposing a sheriff’s office on the site; the roll call recorded 20 yes and 9 no.
The Albany County Legislature on Nov. 10 approved a resolution authorizing the purchase of parcels at the former Saint Rose campus and amending the 2025 county budget, after public commenters urged officials not to site a sheriff’s office there.
During the meeting’s public forum, one resident said the mere presence of law enforcement on the campus would be "an act of violence to the people that are there," argued it would make "vulnerable communities, especially black and brown people and homeless, more likely to have a violent encounter with law enforcement," and said the sheriff’s office "is known to work with ICE". Another public commenter called the county’s purchase a "wasted opportunity" to address housing and food insecurity and accused legislators of betraying constituents. A third commenter alleged family members had been injured in the county jail, saying, "after your son's eye socket is broken or your daughter gets shackled while she's giving birth" and urged county officials to stop paying to "cover it up".
The legislature’s reading of Resolution 4 78 described it as "Making a secret determination and authorizing the purchase of various parcels of real property located at the former Saint Rose Campus in the City of Albany and amending the 2025 Albany County budget". A roll call was requested and recorded; the clerk’s tally in the transcript shows 20 yes and 9 no and the resolution was declared passed.
The transcript does not include a direct response from the county executive or the sheriff to the public allegations about jail conditions, ICE cooperation or the intended use of the Saint Rose parcels. The resolution text as read referenced a budget amendment but the transcript did not specify the dollar amount tied to the purchase during the public roll call.
Advocates at the microphone urged an alternative approach for the campus, emphasizing housing, food programs and community space; at least one commenter said the sheriff’s office presence would make vulnerable residents less safe and decrease use of the space by immigrant families.
Next steps: the resolution passed on Nov. 10, and the transcript indicates the budget will be amended per the authorization. The record does not show further committee action on how the parcels will be programmed or whether a formal public process will establish the campus’s long-term use.
