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New York City Council
Oversight - Evaluation of DYCD’s Beacon and Cornerstone Programs
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council staff welcomes attendees to the Committee on Children and Youth hearing, asks everyone to silence devices, and instructs those wishing to speak to fill out appearance cards.
Council Member Althea Stevens introduces the hearing on DYCD's Beacon and Cornerstone programs and lists the resolutions being heard, including sports betting revenue for youth sports, the Center for Fatherhood Initiatives, baby bond pilot programs, food advertising regulation, and guaranteed income programs.
Stevens describes Beacon and Cornerstone centers as trusted neighborhood institutions serving tens of thousands of New Yorkers, highlights their role in combating youth loneliness and anxiety, and notes the last comprehensive procurements were in 2017 and 2015.
Stevens discusses provider concerns about funding levels, staffing challenges, security costs, and facility conditions, noting providers absorb costs beyond contract awards. She calls for evaluating DYCD's future procurement plans and program expansion.
Stevens reads a statement from Council Member Nantasha Williams on Resolutions 161, 276, 277, and 278, addressing the racial wealth gap, baby bond programs for foster youth, federally funded savings accounts, and guaranteed income programs.
Stevens continues reading Williams's statement, detailing Resolution 161's call for a foster youth baby bond pilot, Resolution 277's American Opportunity Accounts Act, and Resolution 278's state-managed savings accounts, citing research on the long-term impact of modest savings.
Stevens acknowledges Council Members Felder and Brewer, joking about Brewer's seriousness on community centers, and then turns the floor over to committee counsel to swear in the administration panel.
Council staff administers the truth affirmation to the DYCD administration panelists before they begin testimony.
Wanda Asherall, Associate Commissioner of DYCD, introduces herself and colleague Threcia Harris, and provides an overview of the 92 Beacon and 100 Cornerstone programs, describing their year-round operations and role as community hubs.
Asherall details FY25 enrollment figures—62,000 youth and 17,000 adults in Beacons, 21,000 youth and 6,700 adults in Cornerstones—and describes DYCD's monitoring system, site visits, and corrective action plans.
Asherall describes the Saturday Night Lights sports program with 141 sites, and a mental health pilot initiative partnering with the Mayor's Office and the New School to implement the EASE intervention for youth anxiety and depression at Beacon and Cornerstone centers.
Asherall highlights the 'My New York Story' intergenerational program pairing Cornerstone sites with older adult centers, and the Step It Up NYC youth dance and social impact initiative, which held its 2026 championship at the United Palace.
Asherall notes providers are preparing for summer camp, Summer Rising, and expanded summer hours at Cornerstone centers, and expresses readiness to answer questions from the committee.
Stevens presses on why there has been no new Beacon RFP since 2017 and asks for the agency's timeline for releasing a concept paper and RFP. Asherall says the agency is committed to releasing a concept paper and is examining funding, staffing, and program model needs.
Stevens questions why SNL operates as a standalone program rather than being integrated into Beacon and Cornerstone models. Asherall says DYCD is exploring whether to fold SNL into a future concept paper and RFP.
Stevens asks about the 76 standalone Beacon programs and 15 ACS-linked Beacons from the 2017 RFP. Asherall confirms the ACS preventive piece has been moved under ACS's direct funding and monitoring, leaving the Beacons separate.
Stevens asks how Beacon contracts have changed to account for inflation and rising costs since 2017. Asherall explains DYCD has honored approved indirect cost rates and is now examining true operating costs for future funding allocations.
Stevens asks about challenges in maintaining partnerships between Beacon providers and host schools. Asherall describes coordination at central and ground levels, including space allocation, extended use expenses, and required safety meetings with principals.
Stevens raises provider concerns about restricted community access to school buildings. Asherall calls it 'a dance' and says principals increasingly see Beacons as valuable for family engagement, leading to more collaboration.
Stevens asks how DYCD evaluates the quality of required community partnerships and advisory councils. Asherall explains providers leverage co-locators and community partners to bring in resources at no additional cost, with DYCD facilitating connections.
Stevens asks about feedback on the 2017 RFP's requirement for dedicated outreach coordinators to reach chronically absent youth. Asherall reports positive feedback, noting coordinators connect with local partners and hard-to-reach youth, with DYCD providing targeted technical assistance.
Stevens asks which parts of the expanded 2017 Beacon model are working well and which need redesign. Asherall says the agency is still evaluating effectiveness and plans to take a deeper dive on all components as part of future planning.
Stevens asks for total Beacon enrollment in 2025 broken down by youth and adults, and whether any sites struggled with enrollment. Asherall provides FY25 figures: approximately 18,000 elementary, 17,000 middle school, 11,000 high school youth, and 17,000 adults, plus 126,000 community event attendees.
Before transitioning to Cornerstone questions, Stevens explains NYCHA was not invited to the hearing to keep focus on programs, but acknowledges facility maintenance and repair issues are a major concern. She plans a future joint hearing with NYCHA.
Stevens asks about DYCD's process for resolving Cornerstone maintenance and safety issues with NYCHA. Asherall describes standing meetings, a centralized ticket system, dedicated triage vendors, and weekly coordination with NYCHA on structural issues.
Stevens asks about the Cornerstone RFP timeline and whether it would be combined with Beacons. Asherall says DYCD is exploring a combined community center RFP inclusive of both programs, but is still determining the best structure.
Stevens raises 2022 testimony that Cornerstone providers lose money on contracts, with funding barely covering staffing. Asherall says DYCD is in conversations with OMB and City Hall about stabilization funding while awaiting a new RFP.
Stevens expresses frustration with the Cornerstone staffing model of one full-time director and mostly part-time staff, given the long operating hours. Asherall acknowledges directors function as 'mini EDs' and says staffing needs will be part of the upcoming assessment.
Stevens cites NYCHA's 600,000 open work orders and 444-day average repair time, asking if DYCD has assessed Cornerstone facility conditions. Asherall says DYCD's new centralized tracking system will help identify trends and timeliness of repairs.
Stevens asks about previously discussed plans to let Cornerstone providers handle basic maintenance rather than waiting for NYCHA. Asherall describes the ticket system, provider communication channels, monthly director meetings, and relocation strategies for severe issues.
Council Member Gale Brewer raises the issue of long wait lists at the Goddard Beacon on the Upper West Side, where 20 families she knows cannot get in. Asherall acknowledges high demand and says DYCD is doing a geographical assessment to identify expansion needs.
Brewer presses on whether the holdup is funding or space and demands interim measures for wait-listed children. Asherall says DYCD wants to ensure equitable funding distribution and is assessing needs, while Stevens asks why additional slots haven't been added to high-demand sites.
Brewer insists she cannot wait years for an RFP and demands an interim plan for overcrowded sites. Stevens requests a citywide list of sites with wait lists for both Beacon and Cornerstone programs to inform funding decisions.
Brewer asks about benchmarks for the right mixture of academics and fun in Beacon programs. Asherall explains the 2017 RFP was designed for flexibility, with DYCD now analyzing common activities and high-demand areas like workforce to inform future RFP language.
Council Member Rita Joseph asks how DYCD measures whether programs achieve goals in academic outcomes, workforce readiness, and civic engagement. Asherall describes site visits, comprehensive monitoring tools, rubrics, and attendance-based reports.
Joseph asks specifically about academic improvement measurement, tutoring, and reading levels. Asherall says DYCD does not track academic improvement per se but providers may do their own assessments. Stevens asks why academic outcomes aren't measured given the academic programming offered.
Stevens asks how DYCD measures workforce readiness and civic engagement outcomes. Asherall says individual providers track employment and resume-building data, and civic engagement activities like polling sites and youth councils are implemented at the provider level.
Stevens asks how DYCD evaluates adult programming like GED prep, ESL, and parenting workshops. Asherall says providers report GED graduations but DYCD lacks comprehensive data. Stevens emphasizes that tracking GED completions could drive funding and policy decisions.
Stevens asks about parenting workshops and literacy components for parents. Threcia Harris describes partnerships with NYCHA for community baby showers, library card drives, book distributions, and author events. Asherall adds co-locators provide family engagement programming.
Stevens asks what performance metrics are used and how often providers are reviewed. Harris says scored evaluations occur at least three times per year, with additional coaching and support as needed. Asherall adds strategic and corrective action plans are used for underperforming sites.
Stevens asks what specific milestones providers and the Council should expect in the next 12 months regarding Beacon and Cornerstone procurement. Asherall says to expect intentionality around timeline, stakeholder engagement, and transparency, culminating in a concept paper and RFP.
Stevens asks how DYCD will engage NYCHA residents and school stakeholders in the future procurement process. Asherall describes past RA engagement as RFP readers, a current RA survey, and the need to identify better touch points for community input.
Stevens raises concerns about last-minute requests for providers to host NBA Finals watch parties, asking about notice protocols and additional compensation. Asherall says providers were given a choice and that DOE helped with security and custodial staff.
Stevens raises provider concerns about needing three leadership positions to prevent burnout, with most sites unable to afford it. Asherall confirms staffing structure and funding needs will be part of the upcoming assessment, acknowledging directors function as 'mini EDs.'
Stevens asks about underutilization of extended late-night hours and staff burnout from working 8am to 11pm. Asherall says DYCD is analyzing attendance data by time slot to determine realistic timeframes and strategies to avoid burnout.
Stevens asks how DYCD collaborates with DOE to support students with disabilities in Beacon and Cornerstone programs. Asherall says programs make reasonable accommodations and that Cornerstone staff have access to DOE's inclusive practice workshops from Summer Rising.
Stevens questions why Beacons are required to do workforce development but cannot use stipends as an allowable cost. Asherall does not have an immediate answer and commits to following up, while Stevens argues stipends and jobs are critical for youth engagement.
Stevens asks why Beacon participants must attend three days before being considered enrolled, when no similar requirement exists for Cornerstone or Compass. Asherall and Harris confirm the requirement exists but cannot explain its origin, noting it will be reviewed.
Council Member Brewer delivers brief closing remarks emphasizing the need for robust, accessible youth development, particularly at NYCHA developments, and expresses urgency about addressing the needs of young people not currently in programs.
Stevens thanks the DYCD panel, jokes about being efficient, and transitions to public testimony, outlining the rules for public speakers including two-minute time limits and written testimony submission procedures.
Assemblymember Landon Diaz testifies in support of Resolution 142, sponsored by Council Member Kevin Riley, calling for a state Center for Fatherhood Initiatives. He shares his personal experience as a father, discusses the need for resources on postpartum depression and co-parenting, and notes the bill passed the Senate but stalled in the Assembly.
Stevens asks Diaz about coordinating with DYCD's city-level fatherhood programs, including 17 new sites. Diaz describes his barbershop series with Senator Bailey and Council Member Riley, and they agree to connect with DYCD and other dad-focused programs across the city.
Brewer asks about CUNY programs for fathers affected by federal funding cuts. Diaz commits to working with CUNY and discusses changing the narrative around Black and brown father involvement, citing data that contradicts stereotypes about absent fathers.
Christy Mansell, Division Director for Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, testifies about operating two Beacon programs since 2003. She calls for funding rates that reflect true costs, stipends for youth interns, and community voice in new Beacon design.
David Garcia shares his personal story of growing up as a Beacon participant and now serving as a co-director of a Beacon program. He describes Beacons as safe spaces that build community and shape future leaders, urging continued investment.
Pedro Pez shares how all four siblings in his single-parent household grew up in Beacon programs, calling it a second home. He now works for the same program, describing it as a full-circle moment and urging continued belief in young people.
Annie Nelson, policy analyst at Children's Aid, testifies about operating a Bronx Beacon serving over 600 participants. She urges a new RFP developed through provider engagement, with base rates reflecting true operating costs and cost-of-living adjustments.
Kate Connolly of United Neighborhood Houses, representing settlement houses operating one-third of Beacons and half of Cornerstones, testifies on chronic underfunding, mental health staffing gaps, NYCHA infrastructure issues, and the need for stipends and rate increases.
Vincent Price, with Father Speaks Up, testifies about his ex-partner moving his children to another state in 2020 and the lack of court assistance in reestablishing contact. He seeks advice and resources for reconnecting with his kids.
Leonard Richards describes joint custody struggles, including his ex-wife blocking visitation and forcing police-station pickups. He shares photos and evidence of his active involvement with his children and expresses frustration with the court system.
Chris Pena, a birth doula and EMT, testifies about high youth suicide, pregnancy, and STD rates linked to broken families. He shares his experience as a parentally alienated father and advocates for keeping families together through community programs and birthing centers.
Oli Kotik attempts to testify about micro and nanoplastics exposure and children's health. Chair Stevens interrupts and rules the testimony off-topic for a hearing on Beacon and Cornerstone programs, offering to speak with Kotik afterwards.
Vinny Dong, a high school sophomore, testifies in support of Resolution 32-2026, citing PSAL underfunding and inequitable sports access for small schools. He also describes overcrowded and run-down conditions at his Saturday Night Lights program facility.
Stevens thanks the panel, directs staff to connect the fathers who testified with Assemblymember Diaz and legal resources, and acknowledges the youth sports testimony as supporting the resolution on sports betting revenue.
Stevens thanks all in-person testifiers, announces the shift to Zoom testimony, and provides instructions for remote participants to use the raise-hand function to speak.
Amanda Wilkinson, a single mother and healthcare provider from West Harlem, begins testifying about bullying in schools before being redirected by Chair Stevens to stay on topic. She then connects her remarks to the fatherhood initiative and the need for collaborative community support.
After no further Zoom participants come forward, Stevens reminds attendees they can submit written testimony within 72 hours, thanks community members, providers, and staff, and adjourns the hearing.