Sponsors (9)
The bill aims to expand access to affordable housing with co‑located child care—helping low‑income parents work and reducing travel and care barriers—while increasing federal spending and imposing administrative, eligibility, and compliance constraints that may slow projects and unevenly distribute benefits.
Low-income families and public housing residents gain more affordable homes with on-site or nearby child care, reducing combined housing and child-care burdens.
Parents and children save time and transportation costs because child care located in or next to housing reduces travel and improves convenience and child wellbeing.
Families in high-need areas are more likely to get prioritized access to child care (including Head Start–related slots and services targeted to child care deserts), directing resources toward underserved communities.
Taxpayers face higher federal spending obligations because the program is funded at $100 million per year (FY2026–2031) and other study/administrative costs increase the budget footprint.
Developers, nonprofit applicants, and housing agencies will face added administrative, certification, licensing, environmental, and reporting burdens that raise transaction costs and slow implementation.
Grant priorities and statutory definitions risk uneven service distribution, meaning some low-income or rural communities could be left without new co‑located child care despite overall program growth.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive HUD grant program to fund co-located affordable housing and child care facilities and requires a GAO report on child care access for public housing residents.
Introduced January 29, 2025 by Ronald Lee Wyden · Last progress January 29, 2025
Creates a competitive federal grant program to fund projects that physically co-locate affordable housing and child care services. Grants will pay for designing, building, converting, renovating, or preserving facilities that house both housing and licensed child care providers; applicants must meet provider eligibility, resident-protection, environmental, and business-plan requirements. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must consult HHS, Treasury (CDFI Fund), and USDA when designing the program. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to report within one year on child care availability and affordability for public housing residents and how federal housing, tax, and community development tools are being used to support child care.