Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 12, 2018

NYCHA, MAYOR’S OFFICE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, & DYCD KICK OFF SUMMER WITH EXTENDED HOURS AT COMMUNITY CENTERS CITYWIDE

119 NYCHA community centers across the city are offering safe, productive spaces for young New Yorkers this summer.

NEW YORK – The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ), and the Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) announced today the start of extended summertime hours at NYCHA community centers.

Between July 9 and August 31, 119 community centers in NYCHA developments will extend their hours on weekdays and weekends to offer young New Yorkers a safe, productive space in their neighborhoods. The centers will be open on weekdays between 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. (normally 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and weekends from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. (normally closed).

“Our community centers offer young New Yorkers a safe, productive space to engage and learn,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Community Engagement and Partnerships Sideya Sherman. “Extending the centers' operating hours during the summer furthers the City's commitment to support and empower our youngest residents and neighbors.”

“Community centers are the hub of a neighborhood – where people go to feel connected to others. Investing in opportunities for residents, and young people in particular, to build community while engaging in recreation, enrichment, and conversation with their neighbors is an important priority of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety,” said Executive Director of the Mayor’s Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety Renita Francois.

“Thanks to the Mayor’s commitment to keeping communities engaged during the longest days of the year, DYCD-funded Cornerstone community centers at 94 NYCHA developments have expanded nighttime and weekend hours for the fifth straight summer since 2014. With the doors open later and longer, we are providing New Yorkers with a home away from home – a summer safe space with high-quality programs at no cost to our young people and their families,” said DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong.

The extended hours are a part of NYCHA’s Teen Expansion Program, launched in 2014 in partnership with MOCJ and the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP). MOCJ has provided $4.2 million to support the expanded programming annually. Teen Expansion offers classes and events for youth ages 12 to 24, including athletic activities, performing arts, field trips, creative workshops, and more.

MAP is dedicated to enhancing community safety through enhanced opportunities for local residents. In addition to the Teen Expansion Program, MAP has invested in improved security infrastructure at NYCHA and expanding the Summer Youth Employment Program.

The Cornerstone program is a collaboration between NYCHA and DYCD to provide DYCD-funded programs for youth and adults at 94 NYCHA community centers.

New Yorkers can find their nearest community center by using NYCHA's Community Engagement & Partnerships Map: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nycha/residents/resources.page.

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About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
NYCHA’s mission is to increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. Almost 400,000 New Yorkers reside in NYCHA’s 325 public housing developments around the five boroughs, and another 235,000 receive subsidized rental assistance in private homes through the NYCHA-administered Section 8 Leased Housing Program. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycha, and for regular updates on NYCHA news and services, connect with us via www.facebook.com/NYCHA and www.twitter.com/NYCHA.