EXHIBIT 23.7


                   CONSENT OF SANDLER O'NEILL & PARTNERS, L.P.



         We hereby consent to the inclusion of our opinion letter to the Board
of Directors of Richmond County Financial Corp. (the "Company") as an Annex to
the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus relating to the proposed merger of the
Company with and into New York Community Bancorp, Inc. contained in the
Registration Statement on Form S-4 as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on the date hereof, and to the references to our firm and such
opinion in such Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. In giving such consent, we do
not admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required
under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), or the
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder (the
"Regulations"), nor do we admit that we are experts with respect to any part of
such Registration Statement within the meaning of the term "experts" as used in
the Act or the Regulations.




                                   /s/ Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P.

April 24, 2001