New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday plans to offer 2,000 free childcare spots for 2-year-olds, marking the first step toward the mayor's campaign promise of universal childcare.

The program will receive $73 million in state funding from Governor Hochul to establish the initial childcare seats, which calculates to approximately $36,500 per spot. The spots will be distributed across four neighborhoods in the city.

The initiative is scheduled to launch this fall and represents Mamdani's effort to begin implementing his universal childcare pledge made during his mayoral campaign. The program specifically targets 2-year-olds, providing families with free access to early childhood education and care services.

City Hall confirmed the state funding allocation, with the $73 million designated specifically for establishing this first phase of expanded childcare access. The program aims to address childcare accessibility and affordability challenges facing New York City families.

This announcement comes as part of broader discussions about early childhood education and childcare support in New York, with city and state officials working together to expand access to these services for families across the five boroughs.