TRENTON – Senator Britnee Timberlake introduced two pieces of legislation this week designed to provide funding to both the Child Care Assistance Programs (CCAP) and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF).

Refunding the Child Care Assistance Program

The first bill would provide approximately $30 million in funding to address the budget gap impacting CCAP in New Jersey. As of August 1, 2025, families are no longer able to apply for child care assistance under CCAP due to a spending freeze. Although existing recipients may retain benefits, families looking to enroll in the program or add children are unable to do so.  Currently participating families also face an increase in co-payments, a change that is addressed in the bill.

“As a legislator and a mother to children of day care age, I know firsthand the crushing impact these child care cuts and copay increases will have on working class families across New Jersey,” said Senator Timberlake (D-Essex). “The Child Care Assistance Program isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline for parents striving to stay employed while raising young children. If we allow this $30 million shortfall to go unaddressed, we risk forcing families into impossible choices and destabilizing the very day care providers who nurture our children’s development, impacting families of every income level. The time to act is now – before these changes unravel the progress we’ve fought so hard to achieve.”

Beginning with this piece of legislation, Senator Timberlake aims to revisit this $30 million shortfall in the coming months in hopes of restoring new enrollment in the CCAP for low- and moderate-income households as swiftly as possible.

Replenishing the Affordable Housing Trust Fund

The second bill would appropriate $125 million for the creation of affordable housing to restore budget diversions from the New Jersey AHTF. The bill aims to reinstate the approximate amount of funding diverted from the AHTF because of budget constraints through the State Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act in order to resume the awarding of grants and loans for critical affordable housing projects.

“Restoring $125 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is critical to ensuring that affordable housing gets built – not delayed, not downsized, but delivered,” Senator Timberlake continued. “This is more than a financial decision; it’s a moral imperative. These funds directly support working families, seniors, and vulnerable residents across New Jersey. When we invest in housing, we invest in stability, dignity, and the economic future of all communities. Affordable housing doesn’t materialize on good intentions alone – it demands consistent, deliberate funding. Replenishing the Trust Fund is essential to reigniting stalled developments and launching new ones that will shape the future of New Jersey.”

By introducing these pieces of legislation, Senator Timberlake emphasizes the incredible importance of both the Child Care Assistance Program and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Through supplemental appropriations or surplus reallocations, she argues that restoration of funds to these critical programs is possible and necessary.