BERKLEY, Mich. (WXYZ) — Christina DelPizzo knows firsthand how difficult it is to find child care.
A former teacher herself, she left her job and created Little Seedlings Childcare to provide in-home day care for first her own children, then others.
"One day, my child’s day care closed," DelPizzo said. "I stayed home and I created what I would have wanted to be offered for my child."
Watch the report in the video player below:
The opportunity for in-home day care took off.
Over the last few years, DelPizzo has opened six locations across metro Detroit, and most recently in Berkley.
DelPizzo told 7 News Detroit the idea came as multiple Berkley parents were asking for it.
"There was just such a dire need for child care in the area that we thought this would be the perfect place to open a day care," DelPizzo said.
DelPizzo said she worked with the city of Berkley to choose the right house for a 12-children in-home day care.
She chose a home near Mortenson Boulevard and Princeton Road due to its accessibility and available parking.
“We thought this would be the perfect location,” DelPizzo said. “We went back to the city with the address and they said ‘yes, absolutely.’”
After purchasing the home and completing renovations, DelPizzo said she then returned to the city for the required signature to submit for licensing. That’s when DelPizzo said she was told she also needed additional approval from Berkley City Council.
The state of Michigan allows for a family child care home to have six unrelated children. DelPizzo was requesting a license to have up to 12 as planned.
City council denied her request to expand capacity from six children to 12, citing parking concerns.
DelPizzo said to counter parking concerns, she then offered to limit enrollment to families within walking distance, but the council denied the proposal again.
In a statement to 7 News, the city of Berkley said:
"Little Seedlings Childcare has been operating as a family child care home with up to six children in a residentially zoned district. Its request to increase the number of children to between 7-12 children requires special use approval under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.The special use process is set forth in the City of Berkley’s zoning ordinance. An application is reviewed by the Planning Commission, which conducts a public hearing and makes a recommendation to the City Council. City Council then makes a decision based on the standards set forth in the zoning ordinance.Little Seedlings initially submitted an application in early 2024, which was brought to the Planning Commission twice. The Planning Commission, after conducting a public hearing, voted to recommend denial. The application was then considered by City Council, which denied the application.Little Seedlings submitted a modified application for special use approval in November 2024. The revised application was reviewed by the Planning Commission in December 2024, and, after a public hearing, it voted to recommend denial of the application. The application was considered by City Council in March 2025, and it denied the application.If the owner chooses to change the use at the property from a child care home to another residential use of the property authorized under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, that decision is up to the owner and approval from the City is not required."
DelPizzo told 7 News Detroit that the day care cannot remain financially sustainable with only six children enrolled.
Parents voiced their support for Little Seedlings during city council meetings.
Among the parents is Jordan Dean, the mayor's son whose daughter attends the day care.
Even though her granddaughter attends the day care, the mayor voted against it.
“Like many families today, we face the challenge of balancing the rising cost of living with the need for quality child care," Dean said at the city council meeting. "The potential loss of Little Seedlings would create a significant hardship for my family and others in our community.”
Most of the neighbors surrounding the day care told 7 News Detroit they support it and parking has not been an issue.
However, one neighbor, Susan F., told our team, “I don’t want 12 kids though. I think it’s too dangerous for them getting in and out of the car."
Little Seedlings allows their "teachers" to live at the home day care house in addition to their salary.
Although operating with six kids is not profitable, DelPizzo said she doesn’t want to displace the teacher currently living in the Berkley home.
However, once the teacher moves on, if they can’t increase enrollment, they may eventually be forced to re-purpose the property as a different type of group home, such as elder care or a halfway house.
“There’s an enormous need for child care in the city,” DelPizzo said. “And it doesn’t seem to be a priority for city council to make that happen.”
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