Thousands of low-income families receiving subsidized childcare in New York City will no longer have to pay out-of-pocket fees under a new city initiative announced by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Beginning in September, the city will cover the sliding-scale childcare fees currently paid by approximately 22,000 families enrolled in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). The move will eliminate about $5.2 million in annual costs that families currently shoulder.
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Families already receiving subsidized childcare will not have to submit a new application or complete additional paperwork. The city says the change will automatically apply to eligible families receiving assistance through childcare vouchers and city contracts.
The CCAP supports childcare for eligible children from six weeks through age 13, with assistance extending to age 19 for children with disabilities. More than 100,000 children in New York City currently receive childcare vouchers, while several thousand additional young children receive care through city-funded programs.
Mamdani said eliminating the remaining fees is part of his administration’s broader effort to make childcare more affordable and advance its goal of establishing universal childcare throughout the city.
“For thousands of families, a weekly child care fee means another bill they simply can’t afford,” Mamdani said. “Making that care truly free can make all the difference.”
The policy comes as the mayor’s administration expands publicly funded early-childhood programs. Earlier this year, Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to expand free childcare for two-year-olds while strengthening the city’s existing 3-K system. The state has committed $1.2 billion to support and expand New York City’s childcare infrastructure.
The city has also been adding childcare capacity. More than 1,000 new 3-K seats are being added across 56 ZIP codes for the upcoming school year, while a separate city-funded initiative is continuing to provide infant and toddler care in communities where affordable options are limited.
For families already dependent on childcare assistance, however, the elimination of fees represents a more immediate form of financial relief. Rather than expanding eligibility, the latest initiative removes one of the remaining costs for families who have already qualified for government assistance.
City officials say the measure is intended to help parents remain in the workforce and reduce the financial pressure associated with raising children in one of the country’s most expensive cities.
Emmy Liss, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, described the CCAP as an important support for thousands of families but noted that recipients were still collectively paying millions of dollars in fees.
The administration’s approach reflects a broader shift toward treating childcare as essential economic infrastructure rather than simply a household expense. Mamdani has repeatedly argued that affordable childcare can help families remain financially stable while allowing parents to work, pursue education and participate more fully in the city’s economy.
With the new policy taking effect in September, approximately 22,000 New York City families will see their childcare costs reduced to zero, marking another step in Mamdani’s effort to build a more broadly accessible childcare system.
