<html>

<head>





</head>

<body lang="EN-US">

<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2006</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration No. 333-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="border:none;border-top:double windowtext 9.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;">

<p align="center" style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNITED
STATES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM
S-8</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">UNDER</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE
RYLAND GROUP, INC.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center">

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Maryland</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">52-0849948</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or other jurisdiction of</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">incorporation or organization)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">24025 Park Sorrento</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Suite 400</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Calabasas, California</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">91302</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of principal executive offices)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

</div>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">THE RYLAND GROUP, INC. 2006 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR
STOCK PLAN</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Full
title of plan)</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:2.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Name, address and telephone<br>
number of agent for service)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Timothy J. Geckle</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Senior Vice President and General Counsel</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">The Ryland Group, Inc.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">24025 Park Sorrento, Suite 400</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Calabasas, California 91302</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">818-223-7500</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Copies to:</font><br>
<b><font style="font-weight:bold;">R.W. Smith, Jr., Esquire<br>
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP<br>
6225 Smith Avenue<br>
Baltimore, Maryland 21209<br>
(410)&nbsp;580-3000</font></b><br><br></p>

<div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center"></div>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="31%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.5%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title&nbsp;of&nbsp;Securities&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;Registered</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.94%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount<br>
  to&nbsp;be<br>
  Registered</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.96%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Offering<br>
  Price&nbsp;Per&nbsp;Unit&nbsp;(3)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.96%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Aggregate<br>
  Offering&nbsp;Price&nbsp;(3)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.94%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount&nbsp;of<br>
  Registration<br>
  Fee</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.18%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-align:left;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Common
  Stock, $1.00 par value (1)(2)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.94%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">150,000</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">65.64</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">9,846,000</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.88%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="13%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:13.84%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">1,053.52</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.18%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="236" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="14" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="112" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="14" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="104" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="14" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="104" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="14" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="104" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="9" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Common stock being
registered hereby includes associated common share purchase rights, which
initially are attached to, and trade with, the shares of common stock of The
Ryland Group, Inc. (&#147;Ryland&#148;). Value attributable to such common share purchase
rights, if any, is reflected in the market price of the common stock.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; In addition,
pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
&#147;Securities Act&#148;), this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate
number of shares of common stock that may be offered or issued by reason of
stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Estimated solely for
purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h). The
proposed maximum offering price per share, proposed maximum aggregate offering
price and the amount of the registration fee are based on the average of the
high and low sale prices of Ryland&#146;s common stock reported on the New York
Stock Exchange on April 25, 2006 (i.e., $65.64).</font></p>

<div style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 9.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;">

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:justify;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART I</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not required to be included
in this Form S-8 Registration Statement pursuant to introductory Note to
Part&nbsp;I of Form&nbsp;S-8.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART II</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 3.&#160;&#160;&#160; Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The following documents
which have been filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;) are incorporated herein by reference:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(a)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005;</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>All other reports filed pursuant to
Sections&nbsp;13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the &#147;Exchange Act&#148;), since December 31, 2005; and</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Description of common stock of the Registrant
contained or incorporated in the registration statements filed by the
Registrant under the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed
for the purpose of updating such description.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">All documents subsequently
filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part
of this Registration Statement from the date of filing of such documents.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 4.&#160;&#160;&#160; Description
of Securities.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 5.&#160;&#160;&#160; Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J. Geckle, Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Registrant, provides the
opinion regarding the legal validity of the shares of common stock being
registered for issuance under the 2006 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan. As of
the date of this filing, Mr. Geckle beneficially owned approximately 310,676
shares of the Registrant&#146;s common stock.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='2',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 6.&#160;&#160;&#160; Indemnification
of Directors and Officers.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted by the Maryland
General Corporation Law (&#147;MGCL&#148;), Article Eighth, Paragraph&nbsp;(8) of
Ryland&#146;s Charter provides for indemnification of directors and officers of the
Ryland, as follows:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(8)&#160; The Corporation shall indemnify its directors
and officers, in all capacities in which such directors and officers serve the
Corporation, to the fullest extent required or permitted by the General Laws of
the State of Maryland now or hereafter in force, including the advance of
expenses under the procedures and to the full extent permitted by law. The
Corporation shall indemnify other employees and agents, in all capacities in
which such employees and agents serve the Corporation, to such extent as shall
be authorized by the Board of Directors or the By-laws and be permitted by law.
The foregoing shall not limit in any manner the authority of the Corporation to
indemnify directors, officers, employees or agents of the Corporation to the
extent authorized by the Board of Directors or the stockholders and permitted
by law. The Board of Directors may take such action as is necessary to carry
out these provisions and is expressly empowered to adopt, approve and amend
from time to time such By-laws, resolutions or contracts implementing
provisions or such further indemnification arrangements as may be permitted by
law. No amendment or repeal of this Article Eighth, paragraph 8 of the
Corporation&#146;s Charter shall apply to or have any effect on any right to
indemnification provided hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring
prior to such amendment or repeal.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The MGCL permits a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers, among others, against
judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually
incurred by them in connection with any proceedings to which they may be a
party by reason of their service in those or other capacities, unless it is
established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was
material to the matter giving rise to such proceedings and (i) was committed in
bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the
director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money,
property or services, or (c) in the case of any criminal proceedings, the
director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the action or omission
was unlawful.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted by the MGCL,
Article Ninth of the Charter provides for limitation of liability of directors
and officers of Ryland, as follows:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">To the fullest extent
permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted,
no director or officer of this Corporation shall be personally liable to the
Corporation or its stockholders for money damages. No amendment of the Charter
of the Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate
the benefits provided to directors and officers under this provision with
respect to any act or omission which occurs prior to such amendment or repeal.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The MGCL permits the charter
of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its
directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money
damages, except to the extent that (i) the person actually received an improper
benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) a judgment or other
final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the
person&#146;s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the
proceeding.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As permitted under
Section&nbsp;2-418(k) of the MGCL, Ryland has purchased and maintains insurance
on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against
such directors and officers in their capacities as such, whether or not Ryland
would have the power to indemnify such persons under the provisions of Maryland
law governing indemnification.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='3',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 7.&#160;&#160;&#160; Exemption
from Registration Claimed.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 8.&#160;&#160;&#160; Exhibits.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A list of exhibits is set
forth on the Exhibit Index which immediately precedes the exhibits and which is
incorporated by reference herein.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 9.&#160;&#160;&#160; Undertakings.</font></b></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned Registrant
hereby undertakes:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(i) To include any
prospectus required by Section&nbsp;10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(ii) To reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration
Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in this Registration Statement;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(iii) To include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such
information in the Registration Statement;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 1.0in;text-align:left;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">provided,
however</font></i>, that
paragraphs (l)(i) and (l)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to
Section&nbsp;13 or Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.</p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; That, for the purpose of determining
any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial <i><font style="font-style:italic;">bona fide</font></i>
offering thereof.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:black;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" color="black" face="Times New Roman" style="color:windowtext;font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:black;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" color="black" face="Times New Roman" style="color:windowtext;font-size:10.0pt;">The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each
filing of the Registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section&nbsp;13(a) or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each
filing of an employee benefit plan&#146;s annual report pursuant to
Section&nbsp;15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new
Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial <i><font style="font-style:italic;">bona fide</font></i> offering thereof.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="color:black;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" color="black" face="Times New Roman" style="color:windowtext;font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the
opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='4',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='5',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SIGNATURES</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds
to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Calabasas, State of
California, on the 26<sup>th</sup> day of April, 2006.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="50%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="46%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:46.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="50%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:50.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="46%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:46.5%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;Senior Vice President and General Counsel</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act, this Form S-8 Registration Statement has been signed
below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Signature</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Date</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
  <td width="14%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.58%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:17.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Attorney-in-Fact for</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 26, 2006</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="37" style="height:28.1pt;">
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. Chad Dreier<br>
  Chairman of the Board, President and<br>
  Chief Executive Officer<br>
  (Principal Executive Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
  <td width="16%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.26%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="15%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.76%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Attorney-in-Fact for</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 26, 2006</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="37" style="height:28.1pt;">
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gordon A. Milne</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Gordon A. Milne<br>
  Executive Vice President and<br>
  Chief Financial Officer<br>
  (Principal Financial Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr style="page-break-inside:avoid;">
  <td width="15%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:15.58%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ David L. Fristoe</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="16%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.44%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Attorney-in-Fact for</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 26, 2006</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="37" style="height:28.1pt;">
  <td width="32%" colspan="4" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.02%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">David L. Fristoe</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">David L. Fristoe<br>
  Senior Vice President, Controller and<br>
  Chief Accounting Officer<br>
  (Principal Accounting Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="31%" height="37" valign="top" style="height:28.1pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:31.98%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="109" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="8" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="5" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="118" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="15" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="239" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="15" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="239" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">A majority of the Board of Directors:</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Daniel T. Bane, Leslie M. Fr&#233;con, Roland A. Hernandez, William L. Jews,
Ned Mansour, Robert E. Mellor, Norman J. Metcalfe, Charlotte St. Martin and
Paul J. Varello</font></p>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="17%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:17.08%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.92%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As Attorney-in-Fact</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">April 26, 2006</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="32%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Timothy J. Geckle</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="32%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:32.0%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">6</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='6',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXHIBIT INDEX</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">EXHIBIT<br>
  NUMBER</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">DESCRIPTION</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.1</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Ryland Group, Inc. Articles of Restatement (incorporated by
  reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2005)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.2</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By-laws of The Ryland Group, Inc., as amended (incorporated by
  reference from Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.3</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Rights Agreement dated as of October 18, 1996, between The Ryland
  Group, Inc., and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by
  reference from Form 8-K filed October 24, 1996)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.4</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Amendment to the Rights Agreement, dated as of February 25, 2001,
  between The Ryland Group, Inc. and Mellon Investor Services L.L.C.
  (incorporated by reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
  2003)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4.5</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Ryland Group, Inc. 2006 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan
  (incorporated by reference from the definitive proxy statement filed March
  13, 2006)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5.1*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Opinion of Timothy J. Geckle, counsel for the Registrant, regarding
  the legal validity of the shares of common stock being registered for
  issuance under the Plan</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.1*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.2*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of Ernst &amp; Young LLP, Independent Registered Public
  Accounting Firm</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="7%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:7.4%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">24.1*</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.46%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="90%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:90.12%;">
  <p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Power of Attorney</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="left"></div>

<p align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">* Filed herewith.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">7</font></p>

<div align="left" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:left;"><hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left"></div>

</div>
<!-- SEQ.=1,FOLIO='7',FILE='C:\JMS\karun\06-10277-1\task1058257\10277-1-ba.htm',USER='akumaraswamy',CD='Apr 27 21:45 2006' -->


</body>

</html>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "a06-10277_1s8.htm", "description": "SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED TO EMPLOYEES PURSUANT TO EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS", "secsgml_size_bytes": 88199}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RYLAND GROUP INC", "cik": "0000085974", "assigned-sic": "1531", "irs-number": "520849948", "state-of-incorporation": "MD", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-133602", "film-number": "06785827"}, "business-address": {"street1": "24025 PARK SORRENTO", "street2": "SUITE 400", "city": "CALABASAS", "state": "CA", "zip": "91302", "phone": "8182237500"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "RYAN JAMES P CO", "date-changed": "19720414"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2006
Registration No. 333-
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
S-8
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
THE
RYLAND GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Maryland
52-0849948
(State or other jurisdiction of
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)
24025 Park Sorrento
Suite 400
Calabasas, California
91302
(Address of principal executive offices)
(Zip Code)
THE RYLAND GROUP, INC. 2006 NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR
STOCK PLAN
(Full
title of plan)
(Name, address and telephone
number of agent for service)
Timothy J. Geckle
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
The Ryland Group, Inc.
24025 Park Sorrento, Suite 400
Calabasas, California 91302
818-223-7500
Copies to:
R.W. Smith, Jr., Esquire
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP
6225 Smith Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21209
(410) 580-3000
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of Securities to be Registered
Amount
to be
Registered
Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per Unit (3)
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price (3)
Amount of
Registration
Fee
Common
  Stock, $1.00 par value (1)(2)
150,000
$
65.64
$
9,846,000
$
1,053.52
(1)           Common stock being
registered hereby includes associated common share purchase rights, which
initially are attached to, and trade with, the shares of common stock of The
Ryland Group, Inc. ("Ryland"). Value attributable to such common share purchase
rights, if any, is reflected in the market price of the common stock.
(2)           In addition,
pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate
number of shares of common stock that may be offered or issued by reason of
stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(3)           Estimated solely for
purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h). The
proposed maximum offering price per share, proposed maximum aggregate offering
price and the amount of the registration fee are based on the average of the
high and low sale prices of Ryland's common stock reported on the New York
Stock Exchange on April 25, 2006 (i.e., $65.64).
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Not required to be included
in this Form S-8 Registration Statement pursuant to introductory Note to
Part I of Form S-8.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3.    Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.
The following documents
which have been filed by the Registrant with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated herein by reference:
(a)
The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005;
(b)
All other reports filed pursuant to
Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), since December 31, 2005; and
(c)
Description of common stock of the Registrant
contained or incorporated in the registration statements filed by the
Registrant under the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed
for the purpose of updating such description.
All documents subsequently
filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities remaining unsold, shall be deemed to
be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part
of this Registration Statement from the date of filing of such documents.
Item 4.    Description
of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 5.    Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel.
Timothy J. Geckle, Senior
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Registrant, provides the
opinion regarding the legal validity of the shares of common stock being
registered for issuance under the 2006 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan. As of
the date of this filing, Mr. Geckle beneficially owned approximately 310,676
shares of the Registrant's common stock.
2
Item 6.    Indemnification
of Directors and Officers.
As permitted by the Maryland
General Corporation Law ("MGCL"), Article Eighth, Paragraph (8) of
Ryland's Charter provides for indemnification of directors and officers of the
Ryland, as follows:
(8)  The Corporation shall indemnify its directors
and officers, in all capacities in which such directors and officers serve the
Corporation, to the fullest extent required or permitted by the General Laws of
the State of Maryland now or hereafter in force, including the advance of
expenses under the procedures and to the full extent permitted by law. The
Corporation shall indemnify other employees and agents, in all capacities in
which such employees and agents serve the Corporation, to such extent as shall
be authorized by the Board of Directors or the By-laws and be permitted by law.
The foregoing shall not limit in any manner the authority of the Corporation to
indemnify directors, officers, employees or agents of the Corporation to the
extent authorized by the Board of Directors or the stockholders and permitted
by law. The Board of Directors may take such action as is necessary to carry
out these provisions and is expressly empowered to adopt, approve and amend
from time to time such By-laws, resolutions or contracts implementing
provisions or such further indemnification arrangements as may be permitted by
law. No amendment or repeal of this Article Eighth, paragraph 8 of the
Corporation's Charter shall apply to or have any effect on any right to
indemnification provided hereunder with respect to acts or omissions occurring
prior to such amendment or repeal.
The MGCL permits a
corporation to indemnify its directors and officers, among others, against
judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually
incurred by them in connection with any proceedings to which they may be a
party by reason of their service in those or other capacities, unless it is
established that (a) the act or omission of the director or officer was
material to the matter giving rise to such proceedings and (i) was committed in
bad faith or (ii) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty, (b) the
director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money,
property or services, or (c) in the case of any criminal proceedings, the
director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the action or omission
was unlawful.
As permitted by the MGCL,
Article Ninth of the Charter provides for limitation of liability of directors
and officers of Ryland, as follows:
To the fullest extent
permitted by Maryland statutory or decisional law, as amended or interpreted,
no director or officer of this Corporation shall be personally liable to the
Corporation or its stockholders for money damages. No amendment of the Charter
of the Corporation or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate
the benefits provided to directors and officers under this provision with
respect to any act or omission which occurs prior to such amendment or repeal.
The MGCL permits the charter
of a Maryland corporation to include a provision limiting the liability of its
directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money
damages, except to the extent that (i) the person actually received an improper
benefit or profit in money, property or services or (ii) a judgment or other
final adjudication is entered in a proceeding based on a finding that the
person's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate
dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the
proceeding.
As permitted under
Section 2-418(k) of the MGCL, Ryland has purchased and maintains insurance
on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against
such directors and officers in their capacities as such, whether or not Ryland
would have the power to indemnify such persons under the provisions of Maryland
law governing indemnification.
3
Item 7.    Exemption
from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8.    Exhibits.
A list of exhibits is set
forth on the Exhibit Index which immediately precedes the exhibits and which is
incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.    Undertakings.
The undersigned Registrant
hereby undertakes:
(1)           To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any
prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration
Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in this Registration Statement;
(iii) To include any
material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such
information in the Registration Statement;
provided,
however
, that
paragraphs (l)(i) and (l)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to
be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.
(2)           That, for the purpose of determining
any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective
amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering thereof.
(3)           To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each
filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each
filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to
Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new
Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering thereof.
Insofar as indemnification
for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to
directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the
opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
4
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds
to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Calabasas, State of
California, on the 26
th
day of April, 2006.
THE RYLAND GROUP, INC.
By:
/s/ Timothy J. Geckle
Timothy J. Geckle
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Pursuant to the requirements
of the Securities Act, this Form S-8 Registration Statement has been signed
below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ R. Chad Dreier
As Attorney-in-Fact for
April 26, 2006
R. Chad Dreier
R. Chad Dreier
Chairman of the Board, President and
Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Gordon A. Milne
As Attorney-in-Fact for
April 26, 2006
Gordon A. Milne
Gordon A. Milne
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ David L. Fristoe
As Attorney-in-Fact for
April 26, 2006
David L. Fristoe
David L. Fristoe
Senior Vice President, Controller and
Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)
A majority of the Board of Directors:
Daniel T. Bane, Leslie M. Frécon, Roland A. Hernandez, William L. Jews,
Ned Mansour, Robert E. Mellor, Norman J. Metcalfe, Charlotte St. Martin and
Paul J. Varello
/s/ Timothy J. Geckle
As Attorney-in-Fact
April 26, 2006
Timothy J. Geckle
6
EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT
NUMBER
DESCRIPTION
4.1
The Ryland Group, Inc. Articles of Restatement (incorporated by
  reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2005)
4.2
By-laws of The Ryland Group, Inc., as amended (incorporated by
  reference from Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996)
4.3
Rights Agreement dated as of October 18, 1996, between The Ryland
  Group, Inc., and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C. (incorporated by
  reference from Form 8-K filed October 24, 1996)
4.4
Amendment to the Rights Agreement, dated as of February 25, 2001,
  between The Ryland Group, Inc. and Mellon Investor Services L.L.C.
  (incorporated by reference from Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
  2003)
4.5
The Ryland Group, Inc. 2006 Non-Employee Director Stock Plan
  (incorporated by reference from the definitive proxy statement filed March
  13, 2006)
5.1*
Opinion of Timothy J. Geckle, counsel for the Registrant, regarding
  the legal validity of the shares of common stock being registered for
  issuance under the Plan
23.1*
Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2*
Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public
  Accounting Firm
24.1*
Power of Attorney
* Filed herewith.
7