- Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (3)

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Expires: November 30, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

HONSTEDT GARY M

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 1/1/2012

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

ASTORIA FINANCIAL CORP [AF]

(Last) (First) (Middle)

ONE ASTORIA FEDERAL PLAZA

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
___ X ___ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President /

(Street)

LAKE SUCCESS, NY US 11042

(City) (State) (Zip)

5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	2971	D
Common Stock	10000	I ⁽¹⁾	RSA

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)

Explanation of Responses:

( 1)

Represents award of restricted stock dated February 16, 2011 pursuant to the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan for Officers and Employees of Astoria Financial Corporation (the 2005 Plan). The shares of restricted stock will vest as follows: 5,000 shares on December 14, 2012 and 5,000 shares on December 16, 2013, or, if earlier, upon the death, Disability or Change in Control (as such terms are defined in the 2005 Plan) or, pursuant to the terms of his employment agreements with the Company and Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association (the Association), upon his termination of employment by the Company or the Association prior to the end of the term of such employment agreements without Cause, as defined therein.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HONSTEDT GARY M ONE ASTORIA FEDERAL PLAZA LAKE SUCCESS, NY US 11042			Executive Vice President

Signatures
Gary M. Honstedt		1/10/2012
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.