Home Daycare Proposal To Move to Zoning Subcommittee

By Adam Swift

City Councillors were generally supportive of a proposed zoning ordinance that would increase the capacity for home-based childcare businesses in the city during a public hearing last week.

However, some councillors raised concerns about parking and traffic issues as well as a provision that would allow the home daycares by right, rather than by a special permit.

The proposed ordinance will be coming before the council’s zoning subcommittee for further discussion before coming back to the full council for a final vote.

Currently, home-based childcare businesses in Revere allow for a maximum of four children and require a special permit from the City Council.

The proposed ordinance change would put Revere’s zoning in line with current state regulations, allowing for up to 10 children in a home-based daycare, and the businesses would not require a special permit. Any daycare with seven to 10 children would require an additional licensed childcare assistant to be on site.

The goal of the ordinance change is to address the shortage of affordable childcare options in the city, and to help the small, local childcare businesses grow, according to city officials.

Massachusetts childcare costs are second only to the District of Columbia in the country, according to Tom Skwierawski, Revere’s Director of Planning and Community Development.

“The purpose of the amendment is to remove zoning barriers and increase accessibility to childcare, which will help increase economic stability for home-based childcare providers and help with more affordable options,” said Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito. “Childcare is an essential workforce development strategy that is important in cities like ours. The median income for a family of four makes it  nearly impossible to afford rent and necessities, or even childcare costs for two children.”

Skwierawski said the change in the ordinance could potentially double the number of daycare seats in the city, adding another 294, just with the existing home-based daycare businesses in Revere.

During the public hearing, over a dozen residents and supporters, many of them with their own home-based daycares, spoke in favor of the proposal and the positive impact it would have for parents and businesses alike.

“Revere does not have enough licensed child care to meet the needs of the community,” said Justin Santos. “A lot of parents are now entering the workforce, and they need childcare as quickly as possible. The average wait on a waiting list is 18 months, and that is too long.”

The change in the ordinance will not only help Revere residents, but it will also help Revere employers who are in need of help, said Penny Hasseli, senior director of strategy and impact for the MassHire Metro North Workforce Board.

“This change will make it easier for parents to find childcare options that are convenient and help alleviate the current shortage of childcare services and the current labor shortage,” said Hasseli.

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino said he supports increasing the capacity for the home-based childcare centers, but said he had some concerns about doing away with the special permits. He noted that there is a home daycare in his ward where there have been concerns about parking in front of driveways and cars parking too close to the intersection.

“As a ward councillor, these are the calls I get in terms of quality of life matters, so I think on a case-by-case basis we should be looking and have that special permit check,” said Serino. “I’m not opposed to this by any means and I will likely be supporting it, but I’m kind of stuck on eliminating the special permit altogether.” Councillor-at-Large Gerry Visconti said there were valid points raised about parking and was glad there will be further discussion about the proposal in subcommittee, but added that the city does need to do something to address childcare concerns in the city