NYC runs hundreds of programs offering affordable childcare, housing lotteries, free health services, and financial assistance. The catch? Most people don’t know they exist or how to access them. Here’s your practical guide.
New York City is expensive—everyone knows that. What fewer people know is that the city and state run extensive programs designed to make living here more affordable, particularly for families and women. The challenge isn’t availability. It’s access.
Take childcare. In 2023, infant care in New York averaged about $20,500 annually, making New York the second most expensive state for childcare after Massachusetts. Yet families of four earning up to $108,000 can qualify for subsidized childcare costing just $15 per week.
Or affordable housing. In 2025, NYC connected a record 10,336 households to affordable homes through the Housing Connect lottery. But many eligible New Yorkers never apply because they don’t know how the system works.
This guide breaks down NYC’s major resource programs—what they offer, who qualifies, and how to actually access them in 2026.
Childcare Assistance: Making the Unaffordable Affordable
New York State’s FY 2026 budget includes a $400 million investment to save childcare subsidies for families statewide through the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), with up to $350 million available for tens of thousands of NYC families specifically.
Since Governor Hochul took office, state funding for CCAP has more than doubled, bringing low-cost childcare to a record 150,000 families statewide. Of the 150,749 children receiving CCAP services in January 2025, 63% were in New York City (95,124).
Who Qualifies for CCAP?
Eligibility expanded significantly in recent years. Families of four making up to $108,000 annually can now qualify for childcare assistance costing only $15 per week—a dramatic reduction from $55 per week in 2022.
Basic requirements:
- Children must be under 13 years old
- Parents must be working, looking for work, attending employment training, or participating in an education program (high school, college, or vocational)
- Household income must meet current requirements (up to 85% of statewide median income)
- Priority access for families in temporary housing, receiving domestic violence services, or in substance abuse treatment
Non-parent caretakers (grandparents, aunts/uncles, or unrelated guardians) can also apply without including their own income if they don’t have financial responsibility for the child.
New Programs for Infants and Toddlers
For the first time, NYC is opening free childcare seats for kids 2 and under, regardless of parents’ income. Unlike 3-K and Pre-K programs that follow the school schedule (6 hours and 20 minutes daily, September through June), these 240 new seats will be subsidized for up to 10 hours a day year-round. Applications opened in January 2026.
Mayor Adams also launched the Municipal Child Care Pilot Program with $10 million to provide on-site and affordable childcare to city employees with children as young as six weeks old, beginning September 2026. If successful, this program could expand to additional locations.
Additional Financial Support: Child Tax Credit
The FY 2026 budget includes the largest expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit in history. Families will receive:
- $1,000 per child under age 4
- $500 per child ages 4-16
This benefits approximately 2.75 million children statewide. A family of four with a toddler and school-age child, earning up to $110,000, would receive a $1,500 annual credit—nearly $1,000 more than under the previous program. The expansion doubles the average credit from $472 to $943.
How to Apply for CCAP
Governor Hochul launched a new online portal to make the application process easier for eligible families. You can apply online or complete a paper application.
Required documents after applying:
- Identification for everyone in the household (include proof of citizenship for each child)
- Income verification (paystubs or other employment/income documentation)
- Proof of residence
- Work or school schedule
Important note: There’s no out-of-pocket tuition while your application is being processed, and many families qualify even if they’ve been previously deemed “over-income.” The WDI Child Care Scholarship Program offers even higher income eligibility levels—for example, a family of four can earn up to $124,800 and still qualify.
Affordable Housing: Navigating the NYC Housing Lottery
NYC’s affordable housing lottery system connects thousands of families annually to below-market-rate apartments. In 2025, HPD connected a record 10,336 households to affordable homes. Yet the system remains mysterious to many eligible New Yorkers.
How the Lottery System Works
The NYC Housing Connect portal lists available affordable apartments in new and renovated buildings. Applications are free and accessible online. The system randomizes both online and paper applications to ensure everyone has an equal chance.
For 2025, the Area Median Income (AMI) for NYC is $162,000 for a family of four. Income bands for affordable housing typically range from 30% AMI (extremely low-income households) up to 165% AMI (middle-income households).
Who Gets Priority?
- 20% of units are set aside for residents of the same Community District as the building
- 10% for veterans or NYC municipal employees
- 5% for applicants with mobility disabilities
- 2% for applicants with hearing or vision disabilities
- Some units are set aside for applicants referred by NYC’s Department of Homeless Services
Non-NYC residents can apply, but priority goes to current city residents. Only if no qualified NYC resident applicants remain can a non-resident secure a unit.
Recent Lottery Examples
Willets Point Commons (opened December 2024): 880 units in the first phase, with studio and 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments. Pricing depends on household size and income. The complex includes green space, public areas, and a neighborhood market.
Concern Logan in East New York: All 25 lottery apartments are rent-stabilized for families earning 60% of AMI ($55,166 to $105,000 for households of one to five). Studios rent for $1,498/month, one-bedrooms for $1,582/month, and two-bedrooms for $1,888/month.
How to Apply
Create a profile on NYC Housing Connect. You’ll need:
- Recent pay stubs
- W-2 wage statements
- Last year’s federal and state tax returns
- Benefit award letters (if applicable)
- Child support or alimony documentation (if applicable)
- Verification of assets
If your income changes between application and lease signing, update your information in Housing Connect. Marketing agents and HPD/HDC will use your most recent verified income for final eligibility.
Important: The application process is completely free. NYC Housing Connect never charges fees. Be wary of scams requesting payment.
Health Services: Free and Low-Cost Care Options
NYC offers extensive free and sliding-scale health services, particularly for uninsured or underinsured residents.
NYC Health Department Clinics
NYC Health Department clinics offer sexual health, immunization, and tuberculosis services regardless of immigration status. If you don’t have health insurance and can’t pay the fee, you can still get services.
Services include:
- Sexual Health Clinics: Low- and no-cost confidential services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV
- Immunization Clinic: Required school and college vaccinations, seasonal flu vaccines, and other recommended vaccines
- Tuberculosis Chest Centers: Free evaluation and treatment for anyone at risk for TB
NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals facilities offer comprehensive and confidential care for women, including:
- Contraceptive counseling
- Management of pregnancy loss
- Elective pregnancy termination
- Routine pap tests to post-menopausal care
- Wellness programs focusing on healthy living and chronic disease management
Free or low-cost services are available through participation in the Federal Title X Program, New York State Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP), Family Health Plus, and NYC Health + Hospitals Options Program.
Community Health Centers
Several organizations operate free or sliding-scale clinics across NYC:
The Institute for Family Health operates a network of health centers across Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, offering a sliding-scale program based on income.
William F. Ryan Community Health Network provides free and low-cost health examinations, dental services, women’s health, and mental health services.
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center serves primarily the LGBTQ community with comprehensive healthcare services on a sliding fee scale.
Planned Parenthood clinics across NYC accept patients without insurance and offer comprehensive reproductive health services.
Brooklyn Free Clinic, Weill Cornell Community Clinic, and other student-run clinics provide free comprehensive care to uninsured New Yorkers.
Health Insurance Options
If you don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance:
Medicaid: State and federal program providing free or low-cost coverage to low-income individuals, families, children, pregnant women, elderly, and people with disabilities. Based on income and family size.
Child Health Plus: Free or low-cost health insurance for children under 19, regardless of immigration or citizenship status.
NYC Care: Guarantees low-cost and no-cost physical and behavioral health services to New Yorkers without insurance. All services provided through NYC Health + Hospitals.
Essential Plan: Low-cost healthcare for eligible New Yorkers at $20 or less per month.
Apply through the New York State of Health marketplace online, by phone, or in-person with trained professionals.
Additional NYC Resources to Know About
For Pregnant Women and New Parents
The FY 2026 budget includes a $9 million investment to distribute free diapers and other postpartum supplies to low-income New York families.
The proposed New York State BABY Benefit would provide a birth allowance to improve maternal and infant health—a nation-leading legislative proposal.
Capital Funding for Childcare Facilities
The state is investing $110 million in childcare capital funding to build new childcare facilities and repair existing sites in childcare “deserts”—areas with limited access to affordable, quality childcare.
For Students
Pre-K and 3-K programs offer free early education. Applications for programs starting September 2026 open in January. Unlike many childcare options, these follow the school schedule rather than providing full-day, year-round care.
Why Many Eligible People Don’t Access Resources
Despite extensive programs, many eligible New Yorkers don’t access available resources. Common barriers include:
Information gaps: Simply not knowing programs exist or how to access them. Programs are spread across different city and state agencies with different application processes.
Application complexity: Gathering required documentation, navigating bureaucracy, and understanding eligibility requirements can be overwhelming, particularly for people who speak English as a second language or have limited digital literacy.
Minimum earnings requirements: Some programs, like CCAP, have minimum earnings thresholds that exclude the state’s poorest residents—creating a gap where people earn too little to qualify for subsidies but can’t afford full-price childcare.
Restrictive usage rules: CCAP vouchers are limited to the exact hours parents are at work or school. This makes them difficult to use for people with unpredictable work schedules and leaves no flexibility for running errands or attending to other care needs.
Immigration concerns: Fear of affecting immigration status prevents some eligible residents from applying, even though many programs are available regardless of immigration status and accessing benefits typically doesn’t affect immigration proceedings.
Lottery odds: For housing, high application volumes mean most applicants aren’t selected. This discourages people from applying, even though not applying guarantees you won’t get an apartment.
Making Resources Work for You in 2026
Navigating NYC’s resource ecosystem requires patience and persistence. Here’s how to increase your chances of success:
Apply for everything you might qualify for. Eligibility thresholds have expanded significantly in recent years. Programs you didn’t qualify for previously may now be accessible.
Don’t wait. Many programs process applications on a rolling basis. Childcare subsidies, in particular, can run out in certain counties when demand exceeds funding.
Keep documentation organized. Have pay stubs, tax returns, identification documents, and proof of residence readily available. The faster you can provide documentation, the faster your application moves.
Enter every relevant housing lottery. The only way to guarantee you won’t get an affordable apartment is to not apply. Set up a Housing Connect profile and apply to every lottery where you meet the requirements.
Seek assistance. Many community organizations offer application assistance. Health centers often have enrollment specialists who can help you sign up for Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or other programs.
Update information when circumstances change. If your income changes, household size changes, or employment status changes, update your applications. This can affect eligibility or priority status.
Appeal denials if you believe you’re eligible. Application reviewers sometimes make mistakes. If you’re denied for a program you believe you qualify for, follow the appeals process outlined in your denial notice.
The Bigger Picture
These programs exist because New York City and State recognize that the cost of living here is prohibitively high for many working families. The 2025 expansions—particularly in childcare—represent years of advocacy by parents, childcare providers, and community organizations.
But gaps remain. Universal childcare—where all families have access to affordable or free care—remains a goal rather than reality. NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has pledged to pursue universal childcare for children from infancy to age five, but implementing such a system requires solving complex issues around funding, staffing, space, and quality control.
Housing affordability continues to challenge New York. While 10,336 households connected to affordable housing in 2025 is a record, it’s a fraction of the need. Waiting lists for affordable apartments can stretch years long.
Healthcare access has improved dramatically with the expansion of NYC Care and increased Medicaid eligibility, but gaps persist for undocumented residents, people in immigration limbo, and those who fall through bureaucratic cracks.
Still, the resources exist. Programs that can reduce your childcare costs from $20,500 annually to $780. Housing lotteries offering two-bedroom apartments for under $1,900 in neighborhoods where market-rate equivalents cost $3,500+. Free comprehensive healthcare regardless of insurance status.
The work is learning what’s available and how to access it. That’s what this guide is for.
Ready to access NYC resources? Start with NYC Housing Connect for affordable housing lotteries. Apply for childcare assistance through your local social services district. Find free and low-cost health services at NYC Health Department clinics or NYC Health + Hospitals. Learn more about financial planning, career development, and navigating NYC life at WMN Magazine.
