A North Charlotte Pre-School and tutoring program has been forced to close. The move has displaced dozens of children. The owner of Little Angels Pre-School says the fire marshal is mandating a change of use permit and won’t let the business re-open until it’s finished. Marlaina Williford owns Little Angels. It’s been operating out of a plaza on East Arrowhead Road for 13 years caring for children ages three to five. “They have to scramble to find care and support for their children,” Williford said. “We’re trying to find other programs that have room to take them.” In May of 2023, fire inspectors cited her business for minor violations including repairs on exit signs and replacing smoke detector batteries. A year later, she reached out for a re-inspection and she was alerted of a new problem. “The fire inspector came and said that we needed to do a change of use. That means change our occupancy use from business to education,” Williford said. Williford hired attorney Vanna Johnson to help navigate the process and reopen the facility. “The way the process is going, I think any business can be subjected to the same hurdles. My client has not been given clear direction of what’s required, or the fire hazards to herself or students,” Johnson said. “My client isn’t asking for loophole. She is just asking for clear direction and permission to function and operate while she works with the city to resolve the concerns they have.” Williford is now pleading for help from city officials. She’s using platforms like Facebook to spread the word about her situation while the doors are still closed. “We’re crying out for help now because this is, in fact, affecting our business. 60 days will be detrimental if we have to stay closed,” Williford said. WCCB reached out to the City of Charlotte and the Fire Department about Williford’s request for a temporary occupancy permit that would allow her to reopen. We also reached out to all the city council members who represent Williford. We have not heard back from anyone at this time. The attorney says they plan to continue to work to address the change of occupancy to reopen as soon as possible.