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California childcare providers struggle to stay alive
Hundreds of Bay Area child care providers closed their doors in 2020, as many parents worked from home and watched their children on their own. According to the Century Foundation, more than 70,000 childcare programs nationwide are projected to close. This is partly due to the expiration of the federal COVID-19 pandemic support program that kept many centers open.
SAN FRANCISCO - More San Francisco families will soon have access to free or discounted childcare thanks to an expansion of a city program announced Thursday by Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Who's eligible for free or discounted childcare in San Francisco?
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Under the mayor's expansion of the city's Family Opportunity Agenda, nearly 750 more children will have access to free or discounted care. To be eligible for free childcare, families must earn less than 150% of the city's annual median income, $230,000. Families who earn under 200% of the median income – $310,000 – will receive a 50% subsidy for childcare.
The program expansion will offer more than 700 childcare spots, with a focus on infants and toddlers in the Sunset, Parkside, Richmond, Mission, Bayview, Portola, Mission Bay, Excelsior, Glen Park, and SoMa neighborhoods, the mayor's office said.
"The new slots will expand the city’s early childhood system for infants and toddlers by more than 8%—broadening access to affordable, high-quality childcare for working families," the city said, in part, in a statement Thursday.
What is San Francisco's Family Opportunity Agenda?
Big picture view:
The mayor's Family Opportunity Agenda was launched in January to make housing, childcare, education and more necessary resources affordable for San Francisco residents.
"When families have access to quality, affordable childcare, they can stay and build a life in San Francisco," Lurie said. "For children, it supports their academic and emotional growth long before kindergarten. And for our entire city, it strengthens our future—helping families stay and keeping our communities strong."
For more information on the city's childcare program, click here.
How much does childcare cost?
According to the Public Policy Institute of California, full-time childcare for pre-school-age children can cost anywhere between $9,000 and $24,000 per year. For children under the age of two, the cost rises from $11,000 to $29,000, research shows.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2024 shows California has the third-highest costs for childcare across the U.S., at an average $16,945 per year.
The Source: Office of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie