"The announcement marks a key step toward Mamdani's pledge of free care for children under 5 in New York City. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addresses the crowd at an event announcing expansions for free and affordable childcare programs in New York City and across the state of New York, held at the Flatbush Branch YMCA in New York City, New York, United States on January 8, 2026. Jason Alpert-Wisnia / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images"
"New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a plan to provide free child care for 2-year-olds and expand other child care support for thousands more children across the state on Thursday, in one of the first major steps toward fulfilling Mamdani's campaign pledge of universal access. The governor said that the state is fully funding the first two years of a free child care program"
"The proposed expansion will cost $1.7 billion, according to the governor's office, dipping into existing state funds, and will go to the state legislature for approval. "This is the day that everything changes," said Hochul at a news conference on the proposal, at a child care center in a YMCA in Brooklyn. "The era of empty promises ends with the two of us, right here, right now.""
State and city leaders unveiled a plan to expand free child care access by offering free care for 2-year-olds in New York City and expanding free 3K programs. The state will fully fund the first two years of the toddler program, with initial rollout prioritized in high-need areas. The proposal also aims for universal pre-kindergarten access statewide by the 2028-2029 school year and increases child care subsidies for thousands of families. The expansion will make nearly 100,000 additional children eligible for city- and state-supported programs and carries a proposed $1.7 billion price tag requiring legislative approval.
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