NEW YORK, NY— The City will open applications this spring for its first free, on-site child care program for municipal workers.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the pilot program will begin accepting applications April 30, with care expected to start in the fall after construction finishes inside the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Lower Manhattan.
The pilot will serve about 40 children between 6 weeks and 3 years old, offering full-day care from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, in a newly renovated 4,000-square-foot space on the building’s ground floor.
The $10 million renovation is underway, with the city designing and managing construction internally through the Department of Citywide Administrative Services.
Officials said a contracted provider will operate the center; the city plans to announce that provider later in the spring.
The program initially targeted a narrower group of employees.
City officials expanded eligibility to include all municipal workers based at 1 Centre Street, more than 2,000 employees across multiple agencies, as well as all Department of Citywide Administrative Services employees, regardless of where they work.
Officials estimate the program could save families up to $20,000 a year in child care costs.
Applications will be limited to one per child, and eligibility requires full-time employment with the city and a child who meets the age requirements by late 2026.
Selected families will receive notification in June, while others will join a waitlist.
With support from Gov. Kathy Hochul, the city plans to roll out 2,000 new seats for 2-year-olds and expand access to programs for 3-year-olds in high-demand neighborhoods.
For now, the pilot remains limited in size, serving a small share of the city’s workforce. Officials said they will evaluate its impact as construction wraps and families begin enrolling in the fall.