NEW YORK, NY— About 22,000 low-income New York City families who receive subsidized child care will no longer have to pay their required out-of-pocket fees beginning in September, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday.
The City will cover the roughly $5.2 million in annual fees those families currently pay through the Child Care Assistance Program, making their subsidized care free.
A voucher can be used at center-based or home-based providers, and in some cases can pay an approved relative, neighbor or friend to provide care. The City says voucher-funded care can operate year-round and, depending on the arrangement, for up to 24 hours a day.
The City has budgeted $6.24 million for the program beginning in fiscal year 2028.
Families already receiving subsidized care do not need to take additional action.
Families who qualify for subsidized child care currently can still face a sliding-scale fee, even though the City and state cover most of the cost of their care.
The fees vary by family income and size.
Under the current formula, eligible families can be required to contribute up to 1 percent of their income above the federal poverty level toward child care.
For example, a family of four earning $55,000 a year paid $45 per week in 2022.
Generally, eligibility depends on household income, the child's age, residency/immigration requirements and the family's "reason for care."
For a two-parent household, both parents generally must have an approved reason for care. Qualifying reasons can include:
For families qualifying through work, the City says workers generally must earn at least the applicable minimum wage.
The current income ceiling listed by NYC 311 is $108,631.70 a year for a family of four, before taxes. The limit increases with household size.
Families can still apply for child care assistance, but new applicants may face a waitlist because the City currently does not have enough funding to issue vouchers to families who are not receiving Cash Assistance.
The City has also begun rolling out its first free 2-K program, which will provide care regardless of a family's income or immigration status.
More than 5,700 applications had been submitted for the first 2-K program, according to the City. Demand reached nearly three times the number of available seats.
In April, the administration announced that 2-K would operate full day and full year.
The City also has launched a free child care pilot program and reopened seven previously vacant early-childhood provider sites, creating 240 additional 3-K seats.
The administration has announced plans to add 2,000 new 3-K seats across the five boroughs.
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