New York, NY (December 11, 2025) — More than 40 organizations and coalitions released a transition memo outlining a targeted plan to help the incoming Mamdani administration deliver on its commitment to make New York City more affordable, beginning with universal child care.
The transition memo is intended to serve as a roadmap for the next administration, with recommendations beginning on Day One and the first year of the administration.
Universal child care is a foundational part of a more affordable New York City. This transition memo offers a practical, equity-driven recommendations to move the City from vision to implementation, building a universal child care system that ensures that the child care workforce is paid a thriving wage, supports working families, and strengthens the economy.
Starting on day one, the memo recommends that the Mamdani administration use city funds to immediately clear the City’s child care assistance program (CCAP) waiting list, which currently has more than 10,000 children. Subsequently the city should work with New York State to secure ongoing investment in this program as well as a permanent workforce compensation fund, until it is possible to transition to a truly universal system.
The transition memo outlines a number of additional objectives , including baselining funding for early childhood education programs, ensuring access to ECE seats and services for all children with disabilities, and establishing a task force.
In the first year, the memo recommends a number of concrete steps to take toward a truly universal child care system, including community-based bridge projects, strengthening workforce compensation, and creating a public data dashboard.