"San Francisco has had a family retention problem. It knows it and it can't seem to solve it. "We have the lowest number of kids per capita in the United States and it's not a recipe for a successful, thriving city," reiterated San Francisco Supervisor, Stephne Sherrill. Through the years, many city officials have fought hard to keep families from leaving. When London Breed was mayor, her administration launched the first-ever subsidized childcare program with the purpose of helping families."
"Now, Mayor Daniel Lurie has taken Breed's creation and expanded it to included more middle and upper-middle class families. "We are going to make sure that every family has the opportunity to access childcare in San Francisco," announced Lurie. When the program was rolled out in 2023, a family of four had to make just over $158,000 to qualify for free child care. As of January 2026, that qualifying number has gone up to $230,000."
San Francisco expanded eligibility for subsidized child care so more middle and upper-middle income families can qualify. The city faces a low child population per capita and officials seek to retain families. The program originally required a family of four to earn just over $158,000 for free childcare; the threshold increased to $230,000 by January 2026. Families of four earning up to $310,000 receive half assistance. Funding comes from voter-approved Proposition C, creating an additional tax on individuals and businesses earning more than $50 million. Supporters cite affordability and workforce participation benefits, while some daycare providers fear immediate financial and operational challenges.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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