Dover, Del. January 29, 2024 – In January 2023, the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) launched the Delaware Tenant Rent Reporting Pilot Program in partnership with Self Financial, Inc. and NeighborGood Partners. This voluntary and free program allows qualified Delaware renters to build their credit by reporting their on-time rent payments to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion for 12 months. 

The Delaware Tenant Rent Reporting program pilot is active and open for enrollment; however, the deadline to apply is Monday, March 29, 2024, at 4:30 p.m.

Eligibility requirements include:

• Must be a renter in the state of Delaware
• Must pay your rent with a payment method linked to a bank account
• Must possess a housing voucher, live in a public housing unit operated by one of the state’s public housing authorities, OR meet the following income limits:

To learn more or apply, please contact Nancy Aragon, Rent Reporting Specialist, at (302) 855-1370 (office), (302) 260-1212 (cell), or naragon@neighborgoodpartners.org.

Other program benefits include referrals to free financial coaching, the opportunity to report on-time utility payments to TransUnion, access to credit insights and alerts, and identity theft protection. To date, the majority of participants have experienced a positive impact to their credit. Final program outcomes, including average credit score change, will be detailed in a report following the conclusion of the pilot.

The American Rescue Plan Act funds were used to launch this pilot program. While there are no plans for future funding, the Delaware Tenant Rent Reporting program pilot will conclude with a final report. The program’s final report will be presented to the Governor and the General Assembly and will detail program findings, program outcomes, and recommendations regarding expanding rent reporting to more Delawareans.

For more information about the Delaware Tenant Rent Reporting Pilot, please contact Nancy Aragon, Rent Reporting Specialist, at (302) 855-1370 (office), (302) 260-1212 (cell), or naragon@neighborgoodpartners.org.

About Delaware State Housing Authority

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, provides quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique in that it serves as a Public Housing Authority and a Community Development and Planning Agency. As a Public Housing Authority, DSHA receives funding from HUD to build, own, and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties, two of Delaware’s three counties. For more information about DSHA, please call (302) 739-4263 or visit destatehousing.com.

About NeighborGood Partners (formally NCALL)

As a service provider for families and individuals in Delaware, NeighborGood Partners offers pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling, financial education, and DEHAP rental housing assistance. NeighborGood Partners is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. Their services to nonprofit corporations include developer consulting for multi-family housing projects, and technical expertise for USDA’s Rural Development Self-Help Housing program. Their Loan Fund, a Community Development Financial Institution, provides financing to nonprofit and for-profit corporations interested in providing affordable housing and other living spaces, neighborhood revitalization, and community facilities. They also provide community development services and are the lead agency for Restoring Central Dover, a resident-driven neighborhood revitalization initiative.

About Self Financial

Self Financial is a credit-building platform working to increase economic inclusion and financial resilience through products that make building credit accessible. With no hard credit check to get started, Self’s signature Credit Builder Account and secured Self Visa® Credit Card issued by its partner banks are designed to enable people to build credit and savings simultaneously. The company also offers rent and utility payment reporting. Download the Self app at the Apple App Store (220,000+ reviews and an average 4.9 rating) or Google Play or visit Self. Inc for more information.

The Downtown Development Districts Rebate Program (DDD), administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), is proud to release its Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2023) Annual Report and Story Map.

 
During FY2023, 63 development projects – 13 large and 50 small projects — were completed, receiving $10.9 million in state funds and leveraging $170 million in private investment. 

Most projects were accomplished by rehabilitating long-vacant, existing buildings and restoring them to productive use. In addition, several historic properties were renovated to preserve the character of Delaware’s downtowns.

Roughly 60 percent of all completed projects were residential, followed by mixed-use and commercial. Notably, the mixed-use category increased the number and type of living options by developing commercial or retail space on the first floor and residential on the upper floors, a renovation model that developers are using more frequently. Combined with residential projects, these two categories resulted in 533 new or rehabilitated residential units added to Delaware’s housing market in FY2023.

Twenty projects, expected to use $9 million in state funds and $139 million in private investment, were started in FY2023 and will be completed in 2024. 

Altogether, approximately $20 million in DDD funds leveraged $309 million in private investment to stimulate job growth, improve the commercial vitality of Delaware cities and towns, and help build a stable community of long-term residents.

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.

The DDD program was created by legislation proposed by Gov. Jack Markell and passed unanimously in May 2014 by the General Assembly. Since its inception, the DDD program has paid out $35 million in rebates and attracted $527 million in private investment into Delaware’s downtown districts. The 12 districts, dispersed across the state, include Clayton, Delaware City, Dover, Georgetown, Harrington, Laurel, Middletown, Milford, New Castle, Seaford, Smyrna, and Wilmington.

DSHA Executive Director Eugene R. Young, Jr. said the FY2023 DDD Annual Report highlights “how the rebate program, along with strong partners and powerful incentives, are accelerating private investment in designated business corridors and surrounding neighborhoods throughout the state.” 

He added that the 63 completed projects “supported new and existing businesses, reduced blight, and created a range of housing opportunities.”

Applications for 2024 large projects are open until Feb. 27, 2024. Applications for 2024 small projects are being accepted on a rolling basis, subject to funding availability.  

To read the full Fiscal Year 2023 (FY2023) Annual Report or view the FY2023 Story Map, please visit the DSHA website.

About Delaware State Housing Authority

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, provides quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique in that it serves as a Public Housing Authority and a Community Development and Planning Agency. As a Public Housing Authority, DSHA receives funding from HUD to build, own, and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties, two of Delaware’s three counties. For more information about DSHA, please call (302) 739-4263 or visit destatehousing.com.

Dover, Del. October 26, 2023 – A program designed to encourage new rental housing construction in Delaware received national recognition via the 2023 Annual Awards for Program Excellence at the NCSHA’s 2023 Annual Conference & Showplace, held October 14 -17 in Boston.  

The award recognized DSHA’s Area of Opportunity Land Bank Program, which created a $5 million revolving fund to support housing developers in building more affordable rental housing in Delaware. 

“This Award for Program Excellence from NCSHA demonstrates how DSHA was able to provide a creative solution to the need for affordable rental units in our state,” said DSHA Director Eugene Young, Jr. “The Area of Opportunity Land Bank Program is an innovative and accommodating program that aligns with DSHA’s mission to efficiently provide and assist others in providing quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans.”

DSHA was one of over 30 housing finance agencies nationwide to submit entries in the 2023 awards program. NCSHA judges evaluate each entry for its level of innovation, replicability, response to a critical state housing need, and effective use of resources, among other criteria. The juror panels include former housing finance agency executive directors and staff, as well as other senior leaders in the affordable housing community.

The Area of Opportunity Land Bank Program, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, aims to give affordable housing developers more time to complete the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) process when developing in areas of opportunity. This added time increases the likelihood of their success in developing much-needed affordable housing in the areas.   

While the program is new, DSHA has already seen significant interest. In 2022, one LIHTC developer turned in a robust application that just missed an allocation of LIHTC credits. The developer used The Area of Opportunity Land Bank Program to secure site control while continuing to work through the predevelopment process. They successfully applied for an LIHTC allocation in 2023 and are now working on a development strategy for a second phase, which could result in more than 80 new affordable rental housing units in Lewes, Delaware, rather than a market-rate rental development.  

For more information on the Area of Opportunity Land Bank Program, please visit: http://www.destatehousing.com/Developers/Developers.php.

To read the full Program of Excellence award entry, please visit: https://www.ncsha.org/awards-category/rental-housing/encouraging-new-construction-rental-housing/.  

About Delaware State Housing Authority

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, provides quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique because it serves as a Public Housing Authority in Kent and Sussex County and a Community Development and Planning Agency. For more information about the Delaware State Housing Authority, please call: (302) 739-4963 or visit our website at: 

http://www.destatehousing.com.

About National Council of State Housing Agencies

The National Council of State Housing Agencies is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created to advance, through advocacy and education, the efforts of the nation’s state HFAs and their partners to provide affordable housing to those who need it. NCSHA’s vision: An affordably housed nation. Learn more at www.ncsha.org.

Government officials and community members gather in Dover to learn of qualitative, quantitative, and projection data to solve the housing crisis

Dover, Del. October 10, 2023 – Delawareans, including government officials, nonprofit and for-profit partners, and service providers, joined the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) at POLYTECH Adult Education Center to hear preliminary findings from the 2023 Housing Needs Assessment report compiled by Root Policy Research. 

Key findings from the report include: 

• Overall, 50% of renters in Delaware are cost-burdened, with 25,000 severely cost-burdened—paying more than 50% of their income in rent.
• Since 2010, the homeownership rate has dropped for all age cohorts except seniors, with the most significant decline among ages 35 to 44, where the rate dropped from 71% to 63%.
• The composition of the state’s housing stock has changed little over time, with the most significant change being a 6,800 unit decrease in manufactured or mobile homes.
• To keep up with household growth through 2030, the state will need to add 24,400 new units or an average of 2,400 units per year.

Key takeaways from the report include: 

• Securing additional funding and financing tools will be essential to addressing current housing shortages and meeting projected needs. Delaware has received unprecedented federal and state funding for housing in recent years, but more investment will be needed.
• Planning and zoning changes are needed to ensure all Delawareans can access safe housing, regardless of income, age, location, or household size. Even with additional funding and resources, efforts to address the state’s housing needs will be constrained unless state and local regulatory policies explicitly encourage the development of diverse housing types. 
• Cross-sector collaboration is crucial to making meaningful progress toward addressing the shortage of affordable units. This includes communication and cooperation among state and municipal governments as well as the private and nonprofit sectors.

To view the Delaware Housing Needs Assessment Executive Summary and event PowerPoint, visit: http://www.destatehousing.com/FormsAndInformation/needs.php. The full report will be available later this fall. 

This comprehensive report was completed using data collection and analysis of various housing sources, stakeholder interviews and focus groups with residents, community leaders, and housing advocates, and a resident survey. 

The report aims to inform housing agencies and local jurisdictions in prioritizing housing and housing-related services, developing more targeted program and policy responses, and better coordinating federal, state, and local resources. 

“Everyone deserves safe and affordable housing, but we know there is not enough housing stock, and home prices have excluded so many people from the market,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper. “Thousands of people in Delaware today are able to afford a roof over their head because of our state’s housing authority working hand in glove with partners – including federal programs your congressional delegation works so hard to protect – to make Delaware a great place to live. I will keep working to ensure everyone has an affordable and safe place they can call home.”

“The 2023 Housing Needs Assessment report findings are a stark reminder that the housing crisis in Delaware is real, and it is urgent,” said Matthew Heckles, HUD Regional Administrator. “My team and I in HUD’s Region 3 are committed to working with our state and local partners to secure additional funding and financing tools for affordable housing.”

“We know that affordable housing must be a priority for our state,” said Governor Carney. “We have a lot of work to do, but we are moving in the right direction. We are making historic investments in housing throughout Delaware, and the data collected in the Housing Needs Assessment will help us to identify the most effective solutions. I want to thank the Delaware State Housing Authority and all of our partners for their efforts.”

“Together, I’m confident that we can make Delaware the perfect place to live for all current and future residents,” said Eugene Young, Jr., Director of DSHA. “I want to thank Root Policy Research and the DSHA staff for their hard work today and over the past few months. We are proud of this report and can’t wait for the full release later this fall.” 

About Delaware State Housing Authority

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, provides quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique in that it serves as a Public Housing Authority and a Community Development and Planning Agency. As a Public Housing Authority, DSHA receives funding from HUD to build, own, and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties, two of Delaware’s three counties. For more information about DSHA, please call (302) 739-4263 or visit destatehousing.com.

About Root Policy Research

Root Policy Research is a women-owned housing policy consulting firm that specializes in housing needs assessments, housing market analyses, and analyses of barriers to housing choice. The Root Policy team has been conducting housing research for more than 25 years in a diverse set of markets. For more information about Root Policy, see www.rootpolicy.com.

Dover, Del. August 9, 2023 – The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) has awarded over $800,000 in Housing Outreach and Stability Services (HOSS) grants to five community partner organizations throughout the state.

The overarching goal of HOSS is to support individuals and families in maintaining their housing and achieving housing stability. HOSS does this by providing education on and connection to short- and long-term services as needed.

Each HOSS partner organization will have dedicated staff to provide community outreach, case management, and other wraparound supports-including referrals to legal aid, employment or education resources, and financial literacy and housing counseling-to eligible households experiencing housing instability.

The five HOSS organizations are:

The HOSS grants are funded through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA), which the U.S. Department of the Treasury distributed to Delaware in December 2020 and March 2021.

“Our agency frequently receives calls, emails, and letters from Delawareans facing housing instability,” said DSHA Director Eugene Young, Jr. “We’re a state of neighbors, and help is out there for those in need. DSHA is proud to partner with these five organizations and help make the essential connections and referrals to services.”

To receive services from a HOSS organization, the individual and/or family must meet the following requirements:

• One or more individuals qualified for unemployment OR experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the pandemic; AND
• Risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which may include: past due utility or rent notice or eviction notice, housing cost burden (rent is more than 30% of monthly income), or any member of the household has experienced homelessness since March 13, 2020;
• Income (either 2020 annual income or current income at time of application) at or below 80% of Area Median Income for the county of residence.

To learn more about the HOSS program, please visit http://www.destatehousing.com/OtherPrograms/ot_hoss.php.   

About Delaware State Housing Authority

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, is dedicated to providing quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique in that it also serves as a Public Housing Authority and acts as a Community Development and Planning Agency. As a Public Housing Authority, DSHA receives funding from HUD to build, own and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties, two of Delaware’s three counties. For more information about DSHA, please call (302) 739-4263 or visit destatehousing.com.