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“Often standing in their way are unmet childcare needs, which make it difficult for them to obtain and maintain permanent housing and hold full-time jobs, perpetuating a devastating cycle unlikely to change without major overhauls.”
Homeless families in New York face persistent obstacles as they navigate the shelter system, obtain stable housing and hold full-time employment.
Take Marcy, a mother of two and a former resident of Henry Street Settlement’s Helen’s House shelter in New York. While in shelter, her two children were enrolled in separate childcare programs located in Manhattan. In preparation for moving out of the shelter, she secured a job at a big-box store and an apartment in the Bronx, which required long, daily commutes to two different Lower East Side locations for childcare.
But just as things improved for Marcy, her support system unraveled: one child lost childcare eligibility because of an administrative issue, making a predictable work schedule impossible. And without proof of consistent employment, she lost childcare for her other child.
Then there’s Lisa. At Helen’s House, she initially had childcare support while working and attending classes full time. Despite holding a part-time job and carrying a full class load of 15 hours, her childcare benefits were canceled because she didn’t meet the minimum weekly work hours threshold.
New York’s nightly shelter population averages around 80,000 people, including many heads of households like Marcy and Lisa who are doing everything the system is asking of them—and more. But often standing in their way are unmet childcare needs, which make it difficult for them to obtain and maintain permanent housing and hold full-time jobs, perpetuating a devastating cycle unlikely to change without major overhauls.
A system built for the 1990s
This situation is compounded by changing work patterns. Urban Institute data shows 43 percent of U.S. children have at least one parent working a nontraditional schedule. Low-wage workers are much more likely than higher earners to work nights, weekends, and irregular shifts. Yet, fewer than 10 percent of traditional child care centers and only one-third of licensed home-based providers operate during those hours.
Two main public childcare systems exist for New York City families. One is a low-cost, subsidy-based program funded mostly by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). In this program, qualifying families pay a modest co-pay. The other is the free 3-K and Pre-K for All program, overseen by the NYC Department of Education. It only operates during regular business hours and on a school-year calendar.
CCDBG programs are based on welfare rules from the 1990s. They help working parents, but ask for six weeks of pay stubs that many gig jobs cannot provide. The system has not changed with the times.
To address these challenges, policymakers are working on reforms. One key step: Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2024 law directs social services districts to treat families as presumptively eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), allowing benefits to start while applications are pending. The law took effect in 2024, but its implementation is still underway, and full statewide rollout is expected over the next year.
Another reform, currently under review by the New York City Council, would automatically enroll eligible individuals in local benefit programs, such as the Fair Fares program, using government databases like tax records. As of now, this reform has not yet been enacted or implemented.
Frequent moves also increase the challenges families face. Homeless families often relocate several times, from eviction to shelter to permanent housing. Homes available through subsidy vouchers are typically distant from the original community, leaving many in unfamiliar neighborhoods such as Staten Island, far from their established support systems and often lacking childcare options or convenient public transit.
Providers in crisis
Child care providers themselves face a difficult recruiting environment due to a pay disparity between early childhood educators at community-based organizations (CBOs) and their NYC Public Schools counterparts. A December 2025 report by the Day Care Council of New York found that reaching universal child care in New York City will require roughly 30,000 additional workers.
A 2024 report by the NYC Comptroller noted that, despite a 2019 city promise to address pay parity, 19 percent of full-time, certified lead teachers with master’s degrees at CBOs earn less than the mandated minimum. This pay gap is due to low public reimbursement rates. Providers can’t match city wages unless contract funding covers those costs.
Frequent moves of families experiencing homelessness disrupt provider funding, which depends on stable, long-term enrollment. Instability leads to a shortage of high-quality providers. This traps homeless parents: they need flexible childcare to work, but providers need steady funding to offer it.
Building on success
In January 2026, Gov. Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a free child care program for 2-year-olds in New York City. The program, part of a $4.5 billion state child care and pre-kindergarten plan, will launch in fall 2026 and be fully state-funded for its initial two years. Details about renewal or extension have not yet been specified.
This new program removes income and paperwork barriers—welcome news. The next step should be pay parity. New York City must close the wage gap between community-based and public school educators, finishing what began with the 2019 agreement.
New York City must act now. Take decisive steps: implement presumptive eligibility without delay and pass the auto-enrollment law. The city has the power to break the cycle for families—use it boldly.
In the medium term, intensify efforts to make it simpler for families in shelters to access community-based childcare. Cut bureaucratic steps between a family and an open seat—demand immediate streamlining. The city and state should swiftly expand reimbursement to cover care outside school hours.
In the long run, commit to building a universal child care program for families with the greatest need. Change public childcare reimbursement rules to allow funding to move with the family—hold leaders accountable for making this a reality, so providers have steady funding and families are not penalized for moving.
Kristin Miller is the executive director of Homeless Services United. Tara Gardner is the executive director of the Day Care Council of New York. Gregory Brender is chief policy and innovation officer of the Day Care Council of New York. David Garza is president and CEO at Henry Street Settlement.