SB 234 & California FCCs

On January 1, 2020, SB 234 became law. SB 234 extends protections to in-home child care providers. You can read more about SB 234 in this article.

One of the frequently asked questions is about how SB 234 impacts renters. Here's a bit more info on that:

Landlords, HOAs (Homeowners’ Associations), and property managers cannot stop you from renting a home only because you have a licensed family child care home. They also cannot evict you only because you have a licensed family child care home.

You still must get your landlord’s permission in these situations:

– If you have a small family child care home (up to 6 kids) and you want to care for 7-8 kids, or

– If you have a large family child care home (up to 12 kids) and you want to care for 13-14 kids

SB 234 does not change your duty to tell your landlord in writing that you have or plan to open a family child care home. Your landlord cannot prohibit you from having a family child care home.

If you are a small family child care provider caring up to 6 children, or a large family child care provider caring for up to 12 children, you must still get permission from your landlord to care for 2 more children. If your landlord does not allow you to care for 2 more children, you still have the right to care for six children with a small family child care license or twelve children with a large family child care license.

What can I do if I’m being prevented from having a family child care home?

You can:

– Show them this FAQ and the text of the new law

– Contact the Child Care Law Center or Public Counsel (if you live in Los Angeles County) for help

– File a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). If you file a complaint with the DFEH, please contact the Child Care Law Center so we can help make sure your complaint is correctly handled by the DFEH.