Story Map highlights investments in 12 districts

Dover, Del. – Jan. 23, 2026 – The Downtown Development Districts Rebate Program (DDD), administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), has released its Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report and Story Map highlighting investments made in designated downtowns across the state.

During FY25, 68 development projects – 12 large and 56 small projects — were completed, receiving $8.1 million in state funds and leveraging $118.2 million in private investment.

In addition, $5.5 million in state funds were reserved for 15 Large Projects and are expected to leverage $174 million in private investment.

Forty-eight of the completed projects were residential, 12 were commercial, and eight of the projects were mixed-use.

The DDD program was created though legislation in 2014. Since its inception, more than $47 million in state DDD funds have leveraged $693 million in private investment, which has stimulated job growth, improved the commercial vitality of Delaware cities and towns, and helped build a stable community of long-term residents. The 12 districts include Clayton, Delaware City, Dover, Georgetown, Harrington, Laurel, Middletown, Milford, New Castle, Seaford, Smyrna, and Wilmington.

“We know the DDD rebate program succeeds in creating strong public-private partnerships that have worked to rebuild Delaware’s downtown neighborhoods, helped businesses to flourish and increased the supply of quality, affordable housing for residents,” said DSHA Executive Director Matthew Heckles. “Publishing the FY2025 DDD Annual Report allows us to highlight the program and showcase its financial impact, both this year and since the program’s inception.”

Featured in this year’s annual report is Laurel, where the DDD includes 78 acres, encompassing   much of the Broad Creek waterfront, commercial businesses along Market Street and historic homes to the south.

With the help of the Laurel Redevelopment Corp. (LRC), and other organizations, Laurel has taken a comprehensive approach to commercial revitalization and rehabilitated the district’s aging homes and rental properties. Almost $753,000 in DDD funds have brought private investments of nearly $4.35 million to complete 20 projects in Laurel since it was designated as a DDD in 2016.

The program’s interactive Story Map shows detailed examples of successful DDD projects, including those that have received rebates or are currently in the pipeline.

View the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report and FY2025 Story Map.

Applications for 2026 Large Project reservations are due by 3 p.m. on February 26, 2026. Applications for 2026 Small Projects are being accepted on a rolling basis, subject to funding availability.

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