The Secretary of State's Office took the unprecedented step of granting Rockland County permission to take over responsibilities of the embattled Spring Valley Building Department.

That news comes just 24 hours after two members of that department were indicted on felony charges related to inspections involving the nursing home where a fire claimed two lives back in March.

News 12 has documented numerous complaints of a lack of code enforcement in the village.

It's up to the Rockland County Legislature to pass a local law to spell out how this arrangement would work.

While it is still in flux, Spring Valley will have 90 days to essentially prove it has cleaned up its act before the county takes over - if the board votes that way.  

Statement from Illegal Housing Taskforce: “Any legislator that votes against the state takeover of Village of Spring Valley Building Department is putting Spring Valley fighters and mutual aid departments lives in danger as well as thousands of residents and commercial owners that live work and shop in the village. There is no logical reason to oppose this legislation other than politics that got us into this hellacious mess that resulted in the death of a firefighter and resident. Any legislator who votes no is to put every resident in danger.”

Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski: “The state at the end of the day in the executive law has the ability and the authority to protect the health and safety of residents and municipalities, and that's why I think you are seeing  the Secretary of State take this drastic action."

State Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick: “I'm excited to see this step. It's a sad day to have to have a village lose control like this but the record is really clear."