NYC shuts down child care subsidy enrollment amid feud with Hochul

WNYC News

New York City on Monday will stop enrolling new families seeking child care vouchers, amid an escalating feud with the state over who should pay for the popular program that helps thousands of low-income New Yorkers.

First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said new families who qualify for child care subsidies based on their income will be put on a wait list.

“To be clear, this is a step we did not want to take,” Mastro told reporters Monday, blaming the state.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $254 billion budget deal announced last week includes an additional $350 million for New York City vouchers, but only if the city agrees to match those funds.

While state funding for vouchers has doubled in the last three years, the city’s share has remained largely flat and a small percentage of the voucher program’s overall budget.

“The status quo is unsustainable, and if we are serious about providing comprehensive, affordable child care for working families, then these costs must be a shared responsibility between the city and the state,” Hochul spokesperson Avery Cohen said.