New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a major expansion of subsidized childcare, moving 10,000 low-income families off the waitlist for affordable care.
The initiative marks the first time in 15 months that families have been removed from the voucher program’s backlog, which currently includes more than 29,000 children waiting for assistance. Mamdani made the announcement at Bronx Works, an organization that runs high-quality childcare centers and partners with the city to help families access childcare vouchers.
During his remarks, the mayor referenced Cardi B as one of several Bronx natives who achieved greatness, using the rapper as an example of how public goods and services provide the foundation for success. As part of the announcement, the City has added a new feature to its child care map and website – nyc.gov/childcare – which allows families, for the first time ever, to search for licensed child care programs and filter for which of them accept child care vouchers. This announcement comes on the heels of a $5.2 million investment by Mayor Mamdani to eliminate all out-of-pocket fees for families receiving child care vouchers in New York City and builds upon the launch of 2-K, the city’s first free, universal child care program for two-year-olds.
Mamdani framed the expansion as part of a broader effort to make childcare a universal public good, comparing it to other services once considered radical but now standard. He acknowledged that cynics reject the idea of universal childcare as a public good, but pointed out that the same criticism was once applied to public schools, parks, subways, libraries, sewers, trash collection, and street lamps. The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) provides subsidized child care for eligible children ages 6 weeks through 13 years old, and through age 19 for children with special needs. On day eight of this Administration, Governor Kathy Hochul committed $1.2 billion towards child care in New York City, including $475 million specifically to child care vouchers. Today’s announcement is a culmination of significant work by the city to stabilize vouchers for existing recipients and identify funds for expansion.
Over the next few weeks, ACS will begin inviting families with children on the waitlist to apply for a voucher. If they are eligible, they will receive a voucher to cover the cost of care at a provider of their choice. Families will be invited on a rolling basis over the next few months. As mandated by the federal government, ACS will prioritize families that have income under 300 percent of the federal poverty line, are unhoused, or have a child with special needs.