SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on Wednesday announced a sweeping new initiative aimed at easing the city’s high cost of living for families, with a centerpiece expansion of free and subsidized child care that could save parents tens of thousands of dollars a year. The proposal, known as the Family Opportunity Agenda, also includes new education pathways for public school students, housing and transportation initiatives, and expanded outreach for food and health care benefits.

“Today marks the beginning of a powerful effort to reduce the cost of living for San Francisco families by tens of thousands of dollars each year,” Lurie said in a statement announcing the plan. “We’re committed to making San Francisco a place where families can stay, grow, and build their future.”

Under the new child care expansion, families with children under age 5 will qualify for free or reduced-cost care based on income. Starting this month, a family of four earning less than $230,000 annually will be eligible for free child care at hundreds of participating providers across the city. By fall, families earning up to $310,000 a year will qualify for a 50% subsidy, according to Lurie.

The city estimates that San Francisco families currently pay between $20,000 and $30,000 per year for child care for each child under 5, making it one of the most expensive child care markets in the country. The new program will be funded using unspent revenue from 2018’s Proposition C — often called “Baby Prop C” — which raised commercial rent taxes to support early education and child care programs.

Early education providers welcomed the announcement. “For families in the middle-income range, childcare costs are an enormous burden. This investment offers real relief,” said Sara O’Neill, founder and director of Slippery Fish Preschool. “Increasing tuition support and expanding eligibility means more children can access quality early learning environments.”

City officials say the investment will also strengthen the child care workforce by maintaining quality standards and expanding educator wage subsidies. According to the mayor’s office, similar investments have contributed to an 11% increase in kindergarten readiness citywide since 2021.

Beyond child care, the Family Opportunity Agenda introduces a new education pilot designed to link high school, college and workforce training. In partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District, high school juniors and rising juniors will be able to earn associate degrees or industry certifications through City College of San Francisco, with a guaranteed transfer pathway to San Francisco State University for students who want to continue their education.

“This will help them become nurses, police officers, pre-K teachers, auto technicians, chefs, and more,” Lurie said, framing the program as a way to meet the city’s future workforce needs. The initial pilot is expected to serve about 100 students, expanding existing dual-enrollment options already available through City College.

The agenda also builds on recent housing and transportation efforts under Lurie’s administration. His Family Zoning plan, approved by the Board of Supervisors last month, allows greater housing density along transit and commercial corridors and creates capacity for more than 36,000 new homes. City officials say more than 1,000 affordable housing units were completed last year, with roughly 90% designated for low- and very low-income families.

On transportation, the plan preserves free Muni rides for seniors, people with disabilities and all youth under 18, while supporting long-term funding to stabilize and expand transit service. The city will also continue efforts to streamline permitting and reduce bureaucratic delays for homeowners and small businesses.

Finally, the agenda includes expanded outreach to help residents maintain access to CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits, using proactive reminders so families know when action is required to renew eligibility.

Education and community leaders praised the breadth of the proposal. “Affordable, high-quality child care is essential for families to stay in San Francisco,” said Ingrid X. Mezquita, executive director of the city’s Department of Early Childhood. “This is a big step toward making San Francisco a place where families can thrive.”

Taken together, city officials say, the Family Opportunity Agenda represents an effort to tackle the interconnected pressures — from child care and housing to education and health care — that shape whether families can afford to remain in San Francisco.