The Legislature hereby declares that it is the policy of this state that each county and city shall permit and encourage the development of sufficient numbers and types of residential care facilities as are commensurate with local need.

The provisions of this article shall apply equally to any chartered city, general law city, county, city and county, district, and any other local public entity.

For the purposes of this article, “six or fewer persons” does not include the licensee or members of the licensee’s family or persons employed as facility staff.