Photo: Karyn Regal (WBZ)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Mayor Michelle Wu signed an executive order to make the child care fund that developers in Boston can contribute to more transparent Tuesday.
The executive order builds on a policy established by former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn in 1989. That policy required certain large developments in one of 14 downtown districts in Boston to either provide child care programs on-site or supply resources for new child care spaces elsewhere in the city.
For decades, city officials had difficulty enforcing the off-site contributions because the city did not clearly define how much those payments should be. Wu's order establishes a clear formula for developers that are contributing to the child care fund. Developers must pay $100 per square foot of building space if they choose not to provide an on-site child care center.
City officials estimate this will generate up to $3.5 million in funding to support and expand high-quality child care in Boston.
The Office of Early Childhood will manage the new funds.
WBZ's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports.
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