New York City Mayor Mamdani launched a new free childcare program on Monday, March 30th, targeting 40 children of city government employees in a city government building. The city government has invested $2.3 million in the program, averaging nearly $60,000 per child per year.
The program covers all city government employees working in the city government building located at 1 Centre Street, as well as all Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) staff, regardless of their work location. The building houses over 2,000 employees from more than a dozen city agencies.
“Change starts at home. When we provide universal childcare services for New Yorkers, it must include those public servants who keep the city running,” Mamdani said in a statement. “This can not only save families money but also save them a significant amount of time. No parent should have to spend hours commuting just to ensure the safety and care of their children.”
The project will be located on the first floor of the North Tower of the building, providing year-round free childcare services for children aged 6 weeks to 3 years old of government employees, from 8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday. A $10 million renovation project is currently underway to build a 4,000 square foot childcare facility, expected to be completed this fall.
The cost of the program is $2.3 million, averaging nearly $60,000 per child, significantly higher than the private infant daycare cost in New York City of $26,000 and the toddler daycare cost of $23,400. These expenses will be included in the upcoming city government budget.
Applications for the childcare program will open on April 30th. Each family can submit only one application per child. Full eligibility details will be announced on the DCAS website after the application opens.
Selected participants will be notified in June. Families not selected will be placed on a waiting list, and the city government will contact them if spots become available.
With funding from Governor Hochu, New York City will introduce the first batch of 2-year-old classes (2-K) this fall. Earlier this month, Mamdani announced the addition of over 1,000 more spots for 3-year-old classes (3-K) in high-demand communities and the introduction of 2,000 free 2-year-old class spots in four neighborhoods.
New York City will continue to expand the enrollment of 3-year-old classes, aiming to achieve this by partnering more with community and home-based childcare providers by this fall.