Meeting Announcement: Regulatory Barriers to Child Care Work Group
On July 26, 2024, the Child Care Work Group will gather virtually for its third meeting to discuss zoning and permitting barriers to child care and child care expansion in Oregon. The agenda includes the review of a revised draft memo summarizing findings about barriers to child care facilities as well as a list of draft strategies for the Work Group’s consideration. The Work Group will discuss and may revise both documents.
The meeting will be held virtually from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and will be available for live streaming and anytime viewing on DLCD's YouTube Channel.
Meeting agenda and materials will be posted here by Tuesday, July 23.
The Work Group includes child care providers, city and county planning, building and economic development department staff, advocacy groups and others, as well as representatives of state agencies including the Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC), the Building Codes Division (BCD), the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Business Oregon participates as an ex-officio member.
While the opportunity to offer public testimony will not be available during the meeting, DLCD welcomes comments by email to: angie.brewer@dlcd.oregon.gov or kelly.reid@dlcd.oregon.gov
The meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. To request an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities, please make requests at least 48 hours before the meeting to Angie Brewer at (541) 306-8530 or angie.brewer@dlcd.oregon.gov or by TTY: Oregon Relay Services (800) 735-2900.
BACKGROUND
House Bill 2727, passed in 2023, directs DLCD to coordinate a work group in consultation with the Department of Early Learning and Care and develop a report.
Together, we will identify how existing permitting regulations affect child care in Oregon and identify strategies for the legislature’s consideration as it strives to provide adequate early learning and child care for all Oregon families. This work will include interviews with child care providers and local permitting staff, in-depth research, and case studies from around the state.
The work group will meet four to five times during 2024 and will prepare the report for the legislature before the end of the year. The report will include recommendations to:
- Address zoning and building code barriers to expanding early learning and care facilities.
- Support the expansion of early learning and care facilities in this state,
- Reduce disproportionate racial and regional disparities in access to early learning and care facilities.
Future meeting schedules, agendas, and documents will be posted on DLCD’s website throughout the project.
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