NEW YORK, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul will propose a $110 million Child-Care Construction Fund to build new child-care facilities and repair existing sites, “making this critical service more accessible in child-care deserts.”
The announcement represents the third proposal in Hochul’s upcoming 2025 State of the State address.
As part of her upcoming state-budget proposal, the fund will distribute grant money to child-care providers to build new facilities or repair existing facilities, with the goal of creating new safe sites for kids and providers.
Grant funding will be available to nonprofit or for-profit child-care centers, as well as to school age child-care programs, incentivizing the creation of new child-care sites. Money will be set aside from this fund specifically for family child-care providers to make renovations and repairs to their programs.
In addition to renovation and repair funding for family child-care providers, Hochul will direct the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to provide technical assistance to these small businesses helping them to access this funding.
Besides the construction fund, Hochul will also propose establishing a “substitute pool” to expand the child-care workforce, helping providers find “trusted, vetted” professionals to quickly step in and keep classrooms open.
In addition, the governor will launch the New York Coalition for Child Care to bring together business leaders, labor unions, service providers, and tax experts to identify a sustainable path forward for achieving universal child care.
“We appreciate Governor Hochul tackling the issue of childcare head-on and accepting the Childcare Availability Taskforce’s recommendations for universal care,” Heather Mulligan, president and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, said in the state’s announcement. “This critical issue is complicated, but the governor’s plan for non-traditional stakeholder involvement, coupled with capital investments for current providers and scheduling plans for creating a substitute pool, are positive first steps. We are excited and hopeful that we can find a way to support all New Yorkers in need of care, particularly those who struggle most with affordability.”