April 15, 2022
Thousands of New York City families will gain access to free, high-quality child care
Video available at: https://youtu.be/DFa1Wya35nQ
NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams was joined today by New York City Department of Education (DOE), Chancellor David C. Banks, elected officials and parents to celebrate the allocation of $4 billion in the state budget for child care in New York City over four year, as well as authorizing new tax incentives to increase the number of child care seats in New York City. The historic child care expansion investment comes weeks after Mayor Adams and New York City parents asked state lawmakers to fight for an affordable expansion of quality education.
“Today is a victory for New York City families and for our children,” said Mayor Adams. “Raising a family in New York City shouldn’t be difficult, so we’re making things a little easier for working families by expanding access to high-quality child care programs across our city. This historic $4 billion investment, which will expand quality child care, comes at a crucial time as families struggle with rising costs of living and lost wages due to the pandemic. I am grateful to Governor Hochul and my colleagues across the state who fought for and delivered for New York City families. Promises made, promises kept.”
“We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her support for New York’s youngest children,” said Chancellor Banks. “This tremendous increase in funding will make it possible for thousands of working families to provide their children with the high-quality care they need, and the high-quality care they deserve. Education is a lifelong journey, and we are committed to ensuring that all children start this journey with their best foot forward.”
“This administration made a promise to working parents across New York City to deliver critical child care funding — and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” said Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives. “Child care centers are the foundation for families, creating a space for learned children to learn, grow, and simply be children. With this historic funding, we begin a transformative moment for child care, support for high-quality providers, and bring much-needed peace of mind to parents.”
While New York City will receive $4 billion over four years, the state has allocated a total of $7 billion for the entire state. In addition to investing in New York children and families, this investment will ensure that New York providers and child care workers feel supported and have the necessary resources to run successful programs.
In addition, the state acted on two critical priorities that the Adams administration pushed to increase the number of child care seats throughout the city. In the approved budget, the state authorized the city to provide property tax abatements to property owners who convert property to house child care centers. It also authorized the city to offer a tax credit for businesses that provide free or subsidized child care to their employees. Together, these incentives are estimated to create thousands of new childcare seats if fully utilized.
New York City has approximately 500,000 children 5 and under. The Adams administration intends to maximize all funding to reach as many families in need who are currently not receiving care.
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