Mamdani’s Dream of Free Childcare for NYC Just Got One Step Closer to Reality

Some jaded New Yorkers have called it a pipe dream. But on Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, along with Gov. Kathy Hochul, announced a comprehensive (and pricey) plan to get NYC one step closer to becoming the first city in America to offer free universal child care.

“Over the past 14 months, a movement was born to fight for a city where every New Yorker could afford a life of dignity and every family could afford to raise their kids. Today, Governor Hochul and I meet that movement as we celebrate our joint commitment to universal child care,” Mamdani said. “This victory represents much more than a triumph of city and state government working in partnership—it is proof that when New Yorkers come together, we can transform the way government serves working families.”

Hochul will partner with Mamdani to deliver free child care for 2-year-olds in New York City, in addition to strengthening the existing 3K program to achieve universal care. Her State of the State investments will commit to delivering affordable childcare for nearly 100,000 more kids, as she is committed to investing $4.5 billion for childcare initiatives this year.

While 4-year-olds in some parts of New York have long had access to pre-k, dozens of school districts have not yet been able to offer it. Hochul is now providing additional support to ensure it’s provided for all 4-year-olds in the state by the start of the 2028-2029 school year.

NYC also has already launched universal pre-k and 3K; now it will add free child care for all 2-year-olds in the city, with Hochul committing to fully fund the first two years of the city’s implementation.

To make the expansion a reality, the State Legislature needs to approve Hochul’s funding request—and then comes the work of hiring and training all the needed teachers and child care providers who already exist in a patchwork system of day care centers, schools, and home-based facilities.

“To those who think that the promises of a campaign cannot survive once confronted with the realities of government,” said Mamdani, “today is your answer.”