The City and County of Honolulu presented a three-year childcare action plan to the Committee on Housing, Homelessness and Parks on Sept. 24, 2025, laying out actions to add licensed facilities, boost the early-childhood workforce and expand affordable options for families.

The plan, presented by Jordana Ferrera of the Department of Community Services and introduced by Director Anton Kruky, describes four goals: bolstering the childcare workforce; expanding affordable options for families; enabling families to better navigate services; and building the city’s childcare infrastructure with performance metrics attached.

"I grew up in Waianae ... I understand that the high cost of living causes huge financial strains to our families," Ferrera told the committee, saying the plan grew from more than a year of stakeholder engagement and roughly 600 family survey responses. The presentation reported that 50% of households with children fall under the ALICE threshold and that 50% of children under age 5 lack access to childcare; the gap for children under 3 was described as larger.

The plan pairs construction and operations in a public–private model the administration says will let the state fund construction while the city or a contracted operator manages ongoing services. Ferrera said the city has two parcels deeded to it — one in Cunha and one in Ewa Beach — and that state-appropriated construction funding will allow the buildings to be turned over to the city for contractual operation. The model is intended to increase capacity by "at least 350 more slots," according to the presentation, and Ferrera said each new facility will require roughly 65 more early-childhood professionals.

The city also highlighted workforce steps already under way. The plan cites an apprenticeship program run by a community organization with Honolulu Community College, and it credits recent land-use changes that allow home-based providers to hire one nonhousehold staff member. Ferrera said the city secured about $700,000 in federal funds to begin work; she said 76% of those funds are being routed through local nonprofits to deliver services and training.

Ferrera described the city’s existing Early Education Center, constructed in 1986 with a licensing capacity of 264 children, as the model the administration seeks to replicate. She also outlined programs to co-locate early-childhood services at family assessment centers (named in testimony as Ha'ula and Waihiwa), launch business-acumen cohorts for providers, and provide professional learning for Department of Parks and Recreation staff so DPR can host more rec activities for young children and families.

Committee members asked several operational and implementation questions. One council member asked whether city employees would receive priority or stipends; Ferrera said operators would be required to prioritize enrollment for city employees and that staff are discussing additional supports with other departments. Members also pressed for more detail on permitting, outreach coordination with the state early-learning office, and how the city will track outcomes.

Ferrera said the plan will use outcome metrics and assigned tracking to hold the program accountable. She said the city is expanding its staff to three full-time equivalents in the new office and is working with internal and external partners to ensure projects advance to construction and operation.

The committee accepted the briefing. Members asked the administration to provide the published action plan and to return with additional detail on interdepartmental coordination, family-assessment center locations and the timeline for the two state-funded facilities.