Child care affordability expands in Santa Cruz County
Katie Nicora
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — In response to limited options for formal child care, Santa Cruz County is offering a loan program for providers to expand or make improvements to their business.
The county says the Child Care Developer Fee Loan Program was developed in 1991 to mitigate the cost of increased child care needs.
A total of $380,000 in funding is available and funds cannot be used for operating expenses, administrative costs, professional development or nonessential items.
Applications are available through the human services department‘s website and are due by 5 p.m. on August 6.
The county says the last program cycle distributed over $150,000 from 2020 to 2021.
Recipients included 15 approved child care centers and family home day cares.
The county adding that altogether, projects funded by the program added 220 licensed child care slots county-wide.