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Mamdani will clear 10,000 families off waitlist for low-cost childcare
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 5, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET
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By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 5, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET
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The Mamdani administration will move 10,000 low-income families off a ballooning waitlist for subsidized childcare, city officials told Gothamist.
The move, which will be announced in a press conference later on Monday, will bring major relief for parents who can’t afford to pay out of pocket for childcare and providers who are struggling to fill seats in their programs. Childcare advocates had been calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to clear families off the waitlist as he worked to build a universal childcare system across the five boroughs.
“For families struggling to make ends meet, and the providers who deliver them high-quality and consistent child care, access to vouchers is nothing short of transformational. Today’s voucher expansion is a critical step in ensuring no family is left behind in our movement towards universal childcare,” Mamdani said in a statement.
The hugely popular Child Care Assistance Program is largely state funded and subsidizes childcare and afterschool for children aged 6 weeks to 13 years old. More than 100,000 New York City families, who qualify based on income, use a voucher. A family of four can earn up to $116,000 to be eligible.
But demand for the vouchers has far exceeded the program’s budget, despite historic investments by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the city, leaving thousands of families languishing on a growing waitlist since May 2025.
Families who are homeless, have a child with special needs or are considered very low income, such as earning less than $99,000 for a family of four, were prioritized to receive a voucher or keep the voucher they had. All other families who were newly approved or trying to renew their vouchers for another year were put on the waitlist.
Childcare providers said some of the families they served had to pull their children out of their programs this year after losing their vouchers. Providers, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods, largely rely on vouchers to cover the cost of care.
More than 16,000 families are on the waitlist and city officials said if they’re still eligible, they will get approved for their vouchers in the coming months. Gov. Kathy Hochul is investing $475 million to clear families off the waitlist.
“No family should struggle to afford the child care they need and deserve, and I'll keep fighting to deliver universal child care for every family across our city and state,” she said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the city also announced it would cover all voucher out-of-pocket expenses and make it entirely free for 22,000 families. Parents pay no more than $15 a week for care, but that can range depending on their income. Families who receive public assistance don’t have any weekly fees.
Parents will now be able to check the city’s new childcare map to find which programs accept vouchers.
Tagged
affordability
childcare
new york city
Karen Yi
Karen Yi covers homelessness and poverty. She joined the WNYC and Gothamist newsroom in 2020. Before that, Karen covered Newark for the Star-Ledger and spent almost a decade working for newspapers in New Jersey and Florida. She grew up in Miami and has a dog named Cashew. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-589-1460.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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