Sponsors (35)
Introduced January 23, 2025 by Suzanne Bonamici · Last progress January 23, 2025
The bill aims to expand affordable, co‑located child care for low‑income and public housing residents and strengthen local financing and data, but real benefits depend on limited authorized funding, administrative capacity, and timely implementation—so near‑term relief may be limited and some projects could be underfunded.
Parents and children in public and assisted housing (and nearby communities) gain new local child care slots co‑located with housing, expanding access in child care deserts.
Working parents (especially low‑income parents) get easier access to affordable, nearby child care, reducing commute/drop‑off logistics and improving ability to work or attend school.
Low‑income, rural, and child‑care‑desert communities — and providers serving very‑low‑income children or Head Start programs — are explicitly prioritized for grant-supported child care in/near housing.
Low‑income families and public housing residents may not see near‑term relief because the bill offers limited implementation detail and relies on future agency action and a GAO study that could delay reforms and require state/local follow‑through.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending (authorization of $100M per year, 2025–2030) and there is a risk the law is largely symbolic if funding/implementation lags, raising expectations without immediate services.
Per‑entity grant caps and program limits (e.g., $10M cap) may leave large construction or complex retrofits underfunded in high‑cost areas, preventing some projects from moving forward or forcing downscoped plans.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates a HUD-run competitive grant program to build, renovate, convert, or lease housing that co-locates eligible child care providers with housing residents, and authorizes $100 million per year for fiscal years 2025–2030. The bill sets application requirements and priorities (child care deserts, low-income and rural communities, Head Start and similar providers), allows subgrants and CDFI capitalization, requires HUD reporting, and funds limited pre-development and capacity-building activities. It also directs GAO to study child care availability and affordability for public housing residents and report back within 12 months.