LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It will be easier to start and operate small, in-home day cares in Louisville under an ordinance signed Tuesday by Mayor Greg Fischer.

The measure makes zoning changes to help increase access to affordable child care in the city. 

Metro Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-8, sponsored the ordinance. Before, the city had limited home day cares to six children.

"This ordinance is personal to me, because I've lived the challenges of our broken child care system along tens of thousands of other Louisville moms," Chambers Armstrong said. 

Under the new rules, day cares can care for more children if the home or property can accommodate it. The measure also regulates parking and drop-off points to limit disruptions to the neighborhood. 

"It will be a big help," said Amanda Fletcher with Sleepy Dreams Home Daycare. "It will let us have more kids. Right now, we have up to six. Having six to 12 will help a lot, especially with parents that have more siblings than just one child."

The point of changing the zoning rules is to allow more day cares to open in areas where needed. 

Community Coordinated Childcare told Metro Council in March that 15 years ago, the commonwealth had more than 1,200 family child care providers. Now, the state has fewer than 250, and the COVID-19 pandemic made things even worse.

Staffing shortages have reduced child care capacities at remaining providers, which limits families trying to remain or return to work. 

"We don't want any of our parents feeling hopeless and helpless about child care, and there was a lot of that during the pandemic and it still exists," Fischer said. "We want to have a functioning child care landscape for Louisville's residents and we believe we can improve and expand upon what we have with this new law."

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