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                                  Exhibit 21.1

Subsidiary Activities

      The Company has formed three subsidiaries:

      GreenPoint Community Development Corp. This for-profit community
development subsidiary was incorporated in 1993. The subsidiary offers lending
programs, development opportunities and assistance, consulting and other
activities which promote the objective of greater access to affordable housing
for low-and moderate-income persons residing in the New York metropolitan area.
GreenPoint Community Development Corp. is a subsidiary of the holding company.

      GreenPoint Bank. The Bank was organized in 1868 as a New York State
chartered mutual savings bank. On January 28, 1994, the Bank converted from the
mutual to the stock form of ownership, and 100% of its outstanding shares were
acquired by the Company. The Bank is the principal subsidiary of the Company.

      GreenPoint Capital Trust I. This subsidiary was incorporated on June 3,
1997. The subsidiary issued $200. million of Capital Securities, the proceeds of
which were used for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of
stock and financing growth.

      As of December 31, 1997 the Bank has formed ten subsidiaries:

      GreenPoint Mortgage Corp. This subsidiary was incorporated on October 12,
1994 and began operations in the first quarter of 1995. On July 7, 1995, GPMC
acquired the wholesale residential mortgage lending business of
BarclaysAmerican/Mortgage Corp. ("BAM"). On April 30, 1997, the Company
purchased the Columbus, Georgia mortgage servicing operations of Citizens
Financial Group. GPMC's activities consist of the origination, sale and 
servicing of mortgage loans.

      GreenPoint Purchasing Corp. This subsidiary was incorporated on July 19,
1996, with an agreement between the Company and the Nassau County Industrial
Development Agency. This agreement enables the Company, on a sales tax exempt
basis, to (1) purchase and/or lease machinery and equipment for the Lake Success
facility and (2) renovate and improve the facility.

      3090 Ocean Avenue Realty Corp. This subsidiary was incorporated on June 6,
1996, as a real estate investment subsidiary.

      75 Route 25A Realty Corp. This subsidiary was incorporated on June 7,
1996, as a real estate investment subsidiary.

      GreenPoint Corporate Officer Life Insurance. This subsidiary was
incorporated on July 25, 1996, as an insurance trust established for the purpose
of purchasing corporate life insurance policies for the officers of the Company.

           Other Real Estate Subsidiaries. The Bank has formed five wholly-owned
subsidiary corporations, all of which are incorporated under the laws of the
State of New York, for the purpose of holding and maintaining certain properties
acquired by the Bank as a result of foreclosure proceedings or deeds in lieu
thereof. As of December 31, 1997, four of these subsidiaries were active. The
Bank attempts to limit the carrying value of property held by any one subsidiary
to approximately $5 million. Accordingly, in the event the Bank acquires
additional properties through foreclosure or deeds in lieu thereof, the Bank may
form additional subsidiaries for the purpose of holding and maintaining such
properties. The properties selected by the Bank to be held in its subsidiaries
generally consist of multi-family properties with five units or more, commercial
properties and one-to four-family properties which have been identified by the
Bank as having attributes which may subject the Bank to liabilities beyond those
normally associated with its other real estate such as properties which are not
in compliance with building codes or properties with potential environmental
problems. A description of the Bank's subsidiaries are set forth below:


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      Neerg Corp. This subsidiary was formed in January 1990 and currently holds
11 properties having an aggregate carrying value of $1.1 million and an
aggregate appraised value of $1.3 million, as of December 31, 1997, based on the
Company's most recent appraisals.

      298 15th Street Realty Corp. This subsidiary was formed in January 1993
and currently holds 13 properties having an aggregate carrying value of $1.2
million and an aggregate appraised value of $1.4 million as of December 31,
1997, based on the Company's most recent appraisals.

      Neerg Second Corp. This subsidiary was formed in June 1993 and currently
holds 26 properties having an aggregate carrying value of $2.8 million and an
aggregate appraised value of $3.8 million, as of December 31, 1997, based on the
Company's most recent appraisals.

      Alpha REO Corporation. This subsidiary was formed in March 1994 and
currently holds 6 properties having an aggregate carrying value of $0.5 million
and an aggregate appraised value of $0.7 million, as of December 31, 1997, based
on the Company's most recent appraisals.

      Beta REO Corp. This subsidiary was formed in June 1994 and currently holds
no properties.

      Liquidation of Subsidiary:

      GreenPoint Mortgage Trust. This subsidiary was incorporated on February
16, 1996, as a real estate investment trust established for the purpose of
acquiring, holding and managing real estate mortgage assets. On December 15,
1997, the voluntary liquidation of GreenPoint Mortgage Trust was completed.