SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to make it easier and cheaper for daycare facilities to open in residential neighborhoods.

The 7-0 vote removes regulatory hurdles that childcare providers previously faced when trying to establish facilities in residential areas. City officials say the change will bring more daycare options directly to neighborhoods where families live.

"Anything that we can do to help families out needs to be done in this city," said one supporter of the measure.

The streamlined process addresses the ongoing childcare shortage by expanding where facilities can operate.

"How we solve this is by expanding our range of options to where we can locate these facilities, it's similar to our housing crisis, whereas you expand the range, the r

See Full Page