Today, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Yume Kitasei announced that the City's first free, on-site child care pilot program for City workers will open applications on April 30, 2026.
Under Mayor Mamdani, the program has been expanded to include all City workers based at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street in addition to all DCAS employees regardless of work location. The Municipal Building, one of the largest government office buildings in the world, houses more than 2,000 employees across a dozen municipal agencies.
The program will operate on the ground floor of the building's North Tower and provide year-round care Mondays through Fridays from 8 AM to 6 PM. The $10 million renovation is underway to construct a 4,000-square-foot child care facility, with completion expected this fall.
The brand-new center will serve approximately 40 children ages 6 weeks to 3 years and offer an evidence-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to support early learning, socialization and growth.
By expanding access to free, on-site child care, the City is putting upwards of $20,000 a year back in the pockets of working families. The program is also expected to improve the retention of top talent, boost productivity and strengthen job satisfaction among working parents.
"Change begins at home. As we deliver universal child care to New Yorkers, that work must include the public servants who keep this city running," said Mayor Mamdani. "We are bringing year-round, no-cost child care right here to Lower Manhattan - not just saving families money, but giving them back hours of their time. No parent should have to spend hours commuting just to ensure their child is safe and cared for."
"As Mayor Mamdani has made clear, every family in New York City has a right to childcare, and that includes the families of the public workers who serve this city every day," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. "This program will provide free, full-day, on-site care, helping children get a strong start while easing the burden on working parents."
"At DCAS, we are focused on transforming our workplace for the future, namely, how can we make life more affordable, ease burdens and foster a more supportive workplace for our staff," said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. "We see this project as an answer to these questions - that by meeting workers where they are and providing on-site, free childcare, you will have City workers who are less stressed, healthier and better able to serve New Yorkers. We hope this will be transformative for the people that work here at 1 Centre Street, and we can't wait to open this center in the fall."
Applications will open on April 30, 2026. To be eligible, employees must:
- Be a full-time DCAS employee regardless of work location or a full-time City employee who is assigned to 1 Centre Street.
- Be a parent or legal guardian of a child between the ages of 6 weeks (as of Sept. 1, 2026) and 3 years old (as of Dec. 31, 2026).
Families may submit one application per child. Full eligibility details will be available on the DCAS website when applications open.
Selected participants will be notified in June. Families not selected will be placed on a waitlist and contacted if space becomes available.
Design and construction of the facility are being managed in house by DCAS, with a target opening date this fall. The program will be operated by a contracted child care provider, to be announced later this spring.
"Under the leadership of Mayor Mamdani, Deputy Mayor Kerson and DCAS Commissioner Kitasei, New York City is taking a meaningful step to support the public servants who keep our city running," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "Every day, thousands of City employees come into the Municipal Building balancing the demands of work and raising a family, and I know members of my own team are among those who could benefit from this pilot. By providing free, high-quality child care right where they work, this program will ease financial strain, reduce stress and give parents more time with their children. I'm grateful to the Mayor and his team for recognizing that supporting working families is essential to building a stronger, more effective City workforce."
"This new on-site child care center at the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building is a smart investment in our workforce and in the families who serve New Yorkers every day," said Department of Finance Commissioner Richard Lee. "By expanding this pilot to serve all City employees working in the building and making it free of charge, we are putting real money back into the pockets of working parents. Just as important, we are creating a supportive, high-quality early learning environment steps from the workplace. This initiative will reinforce our commitment to making City service a place where talented public servants can build both their careers and their families."
"When we talk about supporting the workforce, we have to mean the whole person and the whole family. Reliable child care can be the difference between constant stress and real stability," said Department of Veterans' Services Commissioner Yesenia Mata. "This pilot removes a major hurdle for working veteran families who serve this city and shows what is possible when government recognizes child care as essential support."
As part of the City's commitment to universal child care, and with funding from Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City will launch an initial 2,000 2-K seats this fall. Earlier this month, Mayor Mamdani announced more than 1,000 new 3-K seats in high-demand neighborhoods and launched 2,000 free 2-K seats across four communities.
The City will continue expanding 3-K capacity for fall 2026 through additional partnerships with community-based and home-based providers.
