City Offers More Room for Universal Childcare

Mayor Tim Keller joined Growing Up New Mexico to outline the City’s push to put underused public spaces to work expanding childcare capacity, opening select City facilities to existing home-based and smaller childcare providers looking to expand.

 Last year New Mexico made history by becoming the first state in the nation to provide free universal childcare. As more families enroll, the need for additional capacity has become urgent, particularly for infants and toddlers. The City now aims to level the playing field even more by offering space to smaller, home-based providers wanting to expand. 

Up to a dozen locations show potential for repurposing as childcare facilities for qualified providers. Examples include vacant community room-like spaces at its Health and Social Services centers and empty Gateway offices.

 “City government should be a partner, not another problem,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These are public spaces, and we should put them to work for our community, helping childcare providers grow and giving more families access to the support they need.”

 The effort is part of a broader push by the Keller administration to make better use of underused City property and lower barriers for residents, service providers and small businesses. By matching existing public assets with unmet community needs, the City can create new opportunities without waiting to build everything from scratch.

 “Home-based educators need and deserve more support as a valuable part of our early childhood system and workforce,” said Monica Archuleta, director of community programming at Growing Up New Mexico. “We’re thrilled with Mayor Keller and the City of Albuquerque’s efforts to expand access to universal childcare and opportunities for these small businesses.”

 The initiative also builds on steps the City has already taken to reduce barriers to childcare. Earlier this year, changes to its development regulations made it easier for home-based childcare providers to operate in residential areas, and the City is also waiving applicable permitting fees to reduce the cost of expansion.

 The City will work with interested providers to explore potential spaces and understand the requirements for licensing and permitting. Any future use of City facilities for childcare would be subject to applicable requirements and agreements.