San Diego families struggle as childcare & rent consume nearly half of household incomes

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego families are facing a crisis as the costs of rent and childcare combined consume nearly half of a household's income.

A recent study was conducted by Children First Collective San Diego, a group of nonprofits, public entities, childcare providers and parents, finding solutions for affordable childcare.

The collective found more alarming statistics:

• San Diego's most recent inflation rate was 3.8%, and the cost of child care rose 8.7% and was the leading cause of the inflation growth
• Two-thirds of San Diego children are living in "childcare deserts" without access to affordable care options
• Families spend about 42.6% of their household income on rent and childcare costs combined; on average, it costs $22,400 annually for an infant to receive childcare in San Diego
• Childcare providers subsidize this public good through low wages. The gap in what providers receive and the cost of quality care is around $1,576 monthly for infants

For parents Jason and Jeanna Bruce, childcare expenses for their two children, 5-year-old Julian and 2-year-old Hazel, are substantial even with employee discounts.

"When you have two kids in childcare, the amount of money you're spending on a monthly basis on just childcare is pretty extreme," Jason said.

"I don't know what we would do if I weren't a Y employee," Jeanna said. "I think that we would really be struggling to survive if we were paying out of pocket completely."

The couple pays about $400 per week for each child to attend summer camp at the YMCA. Despite having an employee discount, they're still facing increasing costs.

"We pay about $1,150, that's with our discount," Jeanna said. "This next year, there's no room in the primetime program for Julian, and so we're going to be paying another $500 out of pocket. So we're looking at probably like $1,600 out of pocket each month for childcare costs."

This aligns with Children First Collective San Diego's research.

The collective found that infant care in the region starts at around $1,500 a month but can cost as much as $22,000 a year or more. But the problem extends beyond cost.

New research from First 5 San Diego reveals that 190,000 local children lack access to licensed childcare facilities.

"The majority of the San Diego region is what we call a childcare desert," Courtney Baltiyskyy said, co-chair of Children First Collective San Diego and the vice president of public policy with the YMCA

Baltiyskyy summarizes the crisis simply: "Parents can't afford to pay, and our childcare providers can't afford to stay."

Advocates are calling for new funding sources, as tobacco tax dollars, which have historically supported childcare programs, are drying up. The county is bracing for a loss of $4.3 million in the coming years.

"What we need is a comprehensive solution, and we need childcare to be invested in as a public good that is publicly funded," Baltiyskyy said.

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs has joined the call for action. In a recent post on X, Jacobs stated, "America has the money for universal, affordable child care. We just need the political will."

Baltiyskyy warns that without intervention, the childcare situation in San Diego will only worsen, affecting both families and the broader economy as parents struggle to remain in the workforce while managing childcare responsibilities.

Baltiyskyy said they're waiting to see the implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill for the future and anticipate that it will result in significant cuts to childcare subsidies. She added that they're researching other potential new revenues that can be tapped for the sustainability of healthy development services and other aspects of the childcare opportunity.

In the meantime, Baltiyskyy has a piece of advice.

"I would say if you're a parent who is living within the childcare crisis, please reach out and tell your story," Baltiyskyy said. "If you're a provider that needs resources, please reach out to the YMCA Childcare Resource Service and see what may be available."