Mayor Mamdani Achieves Major Campaign Win With Hochul Partnership
Historic Partnership Delivers on Campaign Promise
Mayor Zohran Mamdani achieved a significant early victory in his administration by partnering with Governor Kathy Hochul to announce a groundbreaking free childcare program that will begin enrolling two-year-olds this fall. The “2-Care” initiative represents the first major step toward Mamdani’s campaign pledge to offer universal childcare for all city children from six weeks to five years old. Just eight days into his term, the mayor secured gubernatorial commitment to fund the first two years of the program, demonstrating the power of coalition-building and the political feasibility of aggressive campaign promises. The announcement came at a YMCA in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where Hochul and Mamdani appeared together to celebrate what the governor called a transformative commitment to New York families.
What the 2-Care Program Provides
The 2-Care program will serve approximately 2,000 two-year-old children in its inaugural year, with New York State funding all program costs. Governor Hochul committed approximately $75 million to serve these initial participants. The second year of implementation will cost approximately $425 million as enrollment expands. The program will incorporate partnership with home-based childcare providers who offer care in their community settings rather than institutional facilities. Mamdani stated that the city will work flexibly with diverse provider models to expand access quickly rather than waiting for new facility construction. The state will also invest $100 million to improve the existing universal 3-K program. By school year 2028-2029, all four-year-olds across New York State will have access to free pre-K.
The Cost-of-Care Crisis Context
Childcare costs have become one of the primary factors driving New York City’s broader affordability crisis. Families can spend upwards of twenty thousand dollars annually for full-time daycare, a sum rivaling housing costs. This financial burden directly impacts family formation decisions and drives families out of the city. Research shows that parents with children under age six are twice as likely to leave the city than those without young children. Many families delay having additional children specifically because of childcare expenses. Some parents have reported waiting years before having a second child to avoid the simultaneous daycare costs for multiple children. The affordability crisis extends beyond direct family decisions: the high cost of childcare is a documented driving force in family homelessness. When parents cannot afford both rent and childcare, family displacement becomes increasingly likely.
Expanded Subsidies for Low-Income Families
Beyond the 2-Care program for two-year-olds, Governor Hochul committed an additional $1.2 billion to expand the state’s Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP. This subsidy program serves low- and even middle-income families, with the vast majority of North Country families qualifying for assistance. The $1.2 billion increase represents more than fifty percent expansion of subsidies for qualifying families. CCAP allows eligible families to pay approximately fifteen dollars per week for childcare, making care financially accessible to working-class parents. However, the program has faced severe capacity constraints. Over thirty counties, including most North Country counties, had to stop accepting new applications for CCAP in fiscal year 2025 because funding ran out. A waitlist of at least ten thousand families seeking access to childcare subsidies has accumulated, with no room for additional applicants. The additional funding should address some of this backlog, though officials acknowledged uncertainty about whether the investment will fully eliminate the waiting list.
Statewide Innovation Pilots
In addition to New York City initiatives, Governor Hochul will launch pilot projects in counties outside the city to develop new childcare models. These pilots will support counties in building toward universal access to affordable year-round full-day care for families regardless of income level. The pilots represent an experimental approach to understanding how different communities can establish childcare systems matching their specific characteristics and needs.
The Political Context and Federal Challenges
The childcare expansion announcement came amid significant federal complications. The Trump administration froze approximately $3.6 billion in federal childcare funding to Democratic-led states, citing unspecified allegations of fraud. New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the federal government, arguing that bypassing Congress to freeze appropriated funds exceeded federal authority. A federal judge temporarily unfroze the funds, establishing a two-week period for both sides to make legal arguments. This federal uncertainty creates risk for long-term childcare planning. Hochul stated that she did not know whether the state’s additional investment would prove sufficient if federal funding remained frozen.
What Families and Advocates Say
Advocacy organizations quickly praised the announcement. Rebecca Bailin, executive director of New Yorkers United for Child Care, called the plan a historic moment. She stated that bringing together the governor and mayor around childcare commitment could provide relief to tens of thousands of families. Some parents expressed genuine excitement about the possibility of making childcare affordable. One mother interviewed noted that while considering additional children, the massive cost of childcare made family expansion feel “daunting.” She suggested that lifting a major cost through free childcare might enable families to have additional children. Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, praised the plan for putting children and families first, noting the long-overdue support for home-based childcare providers.
Funding Sources and Budget Questions
Governor Hochul said she would detail funding sources in her upcoming annual budget proposal and claimed the state could absorb the costs without raising taxes. This assertion raised questions from observers about the sustainability of the program over decades. The governor’s commitment to fund the first two years provides immediate momentum but leaves questions about longer-term financial models.
Implementation Timeline
The program will begin enrolling eligible two-year-olds this fall for school year 2026-2027. The initial two-year phase represents a pilot before potential expansion. Mamdani has signaled he expects the program to continue expanding until it becomes truly universal, but implementation will depend on sustained political will and funding availability across multiple budget cycles. Learn more about New York City childcare initiatives and national childcare policy perspectives.
