Napa's Childcare Crisis

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In Napa, the scarcity of childcare is alarming. There is only one infant-care spot for every ten infants and one preschool spot for every four preschool-aged children in need. To secure a spot for your baby, you would need to join the waiting list 14 months before you even get pregnant!

For many families, childcare expenses exceed their mortgage payments. The rising costs of providing quality childcare strain both parents and providers. Providers face the dilemma of raising prices yearly to keep up, making childcare unaffordable for many. This untenable situation has forced many providers to close, worsening the crisis.

The childcare shortage severely impacts both employers and families in Napa Valley. Employers struggle to retain talent, while families find it impossible to return to work due to the lack of infant care. Families reliant on dual incomes to afford living in Napa face the tough choice of relocating to areas with more accessible and affordable childcare, which adds additional pressure on Napa’s leading industries.

Napa has historically lagged in childcare infrastructure investment. Nearly every childcare provider operates from repurposed churches, residences, or small in-home setups. While Napa has almost 20 purpose-built senior living homes, it lacks a single commercial childcare center. Only church properties are zoned to accommodate such centers, limiting available options. This was one important consideration in Napa’s approval of the LDS church site for the new LPE Child Development Center.

 NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard) exacerbates the problem. New childcare projects face opposition based on exaggerated concerns about traffic and noise. Small homeowner groups manipulate the legal system to halt progress, harming Napa families and businesses. This behavior discourages potential childcare providers from opening centers in our community. Every neighborhood faces change, but “the Napa way” has always been to put the larger community’s interest before those of individual homeowners. We can’t let NIMBY-ism stop this critical expansion of childcare opportunities for working families in Napa.

 The Le Petit Elephant (LPE) project in Alta Heights aims to add 60+ desperately needed childcare spaces, including many for infants. However, the lawsuit filed by the Alta Heights Neighborhood Coalition threatens this project and jeopardizes LPE's existing 120 spaces. Losing these spaces would escalate Napa’s childcare crisis to a genuine emergency.

LPE currently provides subsidized childcare through Community Resources for Children and gives over $80,000 annually in tuition assistance to low-income families. This lawsuit has forced LPE to divert funds intended for scholarships to cover legal fees and other costs associated with this unnecessary lawsuit. 

 The Le Petit Elephant Alta Heights project is not just about providing childcare; it's about fostering a community. The nearly 20,000 sq.ft. building will offer new activities and experiences for families and children. On weekdays, there will be a small indoor playroom for infants and toddlers, and on weekends, it will be available for small birthday parties.

The property includes a full-sized gymnasium with a basketball court and stage, used for aftercare and camps. After school hours and on weekends, the space could be available for community use, including sports, drama, Scouts meetings, and indoor events during inclement weather (rain, extreme heat, smoke). LPE will also host family-friendly activities like puppet shows, movie nights, and classes. Three neighbors seek to deny these opportunities to our children and families.