DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday announced he intends to nominate Cynthia Karnai to serve as Director of the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA).

Karnai’s nomination must be approved by the Delaware State Senate. 

“Cynthia understands the housing situation in Delaware, and she’ll continue the hard work we are doing to create affordable housing options, strengthen neighborhoods, and help Delawareans become homeowners,” said Governor Carney. “I am confident her years of experience within the Delaware State Housing Authority will make her a strong leader for the Department. I want to thank Cynthia for her willingness to step into this role, and I look forward to the Delaware State Senate considering her nomination.”

If confirmed by the Senate, Karnai would replace Director Eugene Young. Young will step down from his position next month after leading Delaware’s housing and community development agency since 2021. Karnai is currently the Deputy Director for the Delaware State Housing Authority and will serve as Acting Director of the agency following Young’s departure.

“Over the past three years, DSHA has advanced housing solutions through innovative and impactful initiatives driven by a committed, community-minded team,” said Director Young. “I am grateful to have been a part of this extraordinary period in the agency’s history. I will carry the values and lessons learned from these efforts into the next phase of my career. Cynthia is an asset for housing in our state, and if confirmed, she will be an exceptional leader for our team.”

Prior to being named Deputy Director in 2022, Karnai served 16-plus years in the roles of Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the agency’s operations, and Director of Housing Finance, guiding homeownership and foreclosure prevention.

Since joining DSHA in 2005, her work has focused on promoting homeownership, from managing programs during the height of the housing boom with annual funding of over $420 million to challenging economic times. She launched innovative resources to revitalize Delaware’s housing market, including emergency foreclosure assistance for senior citizens, low-rate mortgage rates for new construction and veterans, and launched the first-time homebuyer federal tax credit in Delaware. As a special initiative for the agency, Cynthia developed and launched, in 90 days, the Delaware Mortgage Relief Program, the State’s mortgage assistance program for those impacted by COVID-19.

Under Karnai’s leadership, DSHA has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association National Accounting and Financial Reporting Award, received national recognition by the National Council of State Housing Agencies, and received the National Award of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware. She received her Master of Business Administration, concentrating in Financial Management, from Goldey-Beacom College.

Related news: Governor Carney Releases Statement on Delaware State Housing Authority Director Young’s resignation

DOVER, DE – Governor John Carney on Friday released the following statement on Director Eugene Young Jr.’s decision to step down March 8, 2024, from his current role as the head of the Delaware State Housing Authority. Director Young has served as the agency’s leader since 2021.

“Eugene is a strong leader dedicated to public service. He’s committed to assisting vulnerable populations and middle-class families,” said Governor Carney. “Eugene has been instrumental in our efforts to transform the east side of Wilmington to build a stronger community around the new Maurice Pritchett, Sr. Academy. He helped implement programs to build homeownership across the state. His enthusiasm and energy is contagious and was evident as he engaged communities across Delaware to develop solutions to complex housing issues. I’d like to thank Eugene for his commitment to increasing access to affordable housing across the state, and for his service in my administration.”

DOVER, Del.: The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) are excited to announce a combined total of $1.075 million has been awarded to selected nonprofit organizations to support initiatives in Delaware that lead to stable housing for individuals and families who are homeless or determined to be at-risk of homelessness.

Home4Good grants are supported by the following FHLBank member financial institutions: Artisans’ Bank; Asian Bank; Community Bank of Delaware; Community First Fund; Community Powered Federal Credit Union; County Bank; Del-One Federal Credit Union; Dover Federal Credit Union; Ephrata National Bank; Erie Family Life Insurance Company; Erie Insurance Company; Erie Insurance Exchange; First Citizens Community Bank; Fulton Bank; Life Insurance Company of North America; LINKBANK; Meridian Bank; Millers Capital Insurance Company; New York Life Insurance & Annuity Company; Pioneer Appalachia Federal Credit Union; QBE Insurance Corporation; Santander Bank, N.A.; Stepping Stones Community Federal Credit Union; TD Bank, NA; Tidemark Federal Credit Union; and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB.

Home4Good was established by FHLBank and has been combined with DSHA funds to combat homelessness with the support of FHLBank member financial institutions. The funding is distributed as grants to organizations that help individuals retain or find housing, provide supportive services, or address other unmet needs within the existing homeless provider network. Home4Good is one of several ways that FHLBank partners with its members to provide needed funding and support communities.

The funding will be used to address four key areas: homelessness prevention, homelessness diversion, rapid re-housing, and innovation. 14 programs from 10 organizations in the state will receive funding. These organizations include Brandywine Counseling and Community Services; Catholic Charities, Inc.; Family Promise of Northern NCC; Lutheran Community Services, Inc.; Ministry of Caring, Inc.; People’s Place II; Salvation Army; The Way Home; West End Neighborhood House, Inc.; and YWCA Delaware, Inc.

“We’re honored to be a part of this initiative and proud to support the organizations working to address homelessness through a multitude of different approaches,” said DSHA Director Eugene R. Young, Jr. “From rapid re-housing to innovation, each program plays a valuable role in ensuring Delawareans have access to housing opportunities and support services.”

“Through partnership with DSHA, FHLBank members provided $500,000 this year to 14 Delaware programs/projects,” said FHLBank President and Chief Executive Officer, Winthrop Watson. “These combined funds are directed toward local service organizations helping those experiencing homelessness.”

“BCCS is committed to the street outreach work conducted through the Home4Good award. If nothing else, our Home4Good award has put a spotlight on how needed street outreach work is particularly in Kent and Sussex Counties. We are eager to continue serving this most vulnerable population.” Monica Alvarez, Director of Business Development of Brandywine Counseling & Community Services, Inc.

About FHLBank Pittsburgh

FHLBank Pittsburgh (FHLBank) provides reliable funding and liquidity to its member financial institutions, which include commercial and savings banks, community development financial institutions, credit unions and insurance companies in Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. FHLBank products and resources help support community lending, housing and economic development. As one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks established by Congress, FHLBank has been an integral and reliable part of the financial system since 1932. Learn more by visiting www.fhlb-pgh.com.

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.

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Approximately $3 Million To Build and Restore Affordable Rental Housing in Delaware

Dover, Del. July 12, 2023 – The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) announced its preliminary project award rankings for the 2023 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation last week.

The LIHTC was created in 1986 to encourage private/public investment to preserve and construct affordable rental housing nationwide. Alone and combined with tax-exempt private activity bonds, the LIHTC has been the most productive source of affordable housing financing in the nation’s history. 

Three development projects were awarded $3 million in 10-year federal LIHTCs this year. Recipients were selected based on criteria outlined in DSHA’s Qualified Allocation Plan, which include rent price, location, accessibility, and more. All projects must meet program requirements by the end of the year to receive a formal reservation of tax credit investments.

Developers claim tax credits over ten years, which allows them to balance the construction or rehabilitation costs incurred during the rental housing development. All buildings financed with the LIHTC must remain affordable and in compliance with other program policies for a minimum of 30 years. 

DSHA receives an annual tax credit amount and awards credits annually through a competitive process. The equity raised through the tax credit investment allows developers to attract the additional financing needed to create or restore low-income rental housing.

“DSHA is consistently and aggressively adding new affordable rental units to Delaware’s housing stock,” said Eugene Young, Jr., Director of DSHA. “The development of these communities will transform the lives of families and seniors and bring us one step closer to solving the housing crisis in our state.”

DSHA has administered LIHTC since 1987, adding more than 10,000 affordable units to the state’s housing inventory. For more information please visit: http://destatehousing.com/Developers/dv_lihtc.php.

About the 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) 739-4263 or visit our website at www.destatehousing.com.

Program Changes To Launch Later This Fall

Dover, Del., August 29, 2022 – In response to recent federal U.S. Treasury policy changes, the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) will temporarily pause accepting new applications for the Delaware Housing Assistance Program (DEHAP) at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9. 

This temporary program pause will allow the agency to modify program guidelines in accordance with the federal U.S. Treasury requirements, implement a shift between federal funding sources, and manage application volume. Anticipated modifications to the DEHAP program guidelines include:

• Decreasing the income limits
• Increasing documentation requirements
• Aligning the program assistance amount to meet market rate demand

The DEHAP Program is funded through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program, which the U.S. Treasury Department distributed to Delaware in January (ERA-1) and May 2021 (ERA-2). ERA-1 funding will expire on September 30, 2022.

While ERA-2 funding is not set to expire until 2025, recent federal U.S. Treasury policy changes and the ongoing high demand of assistance have forced the DSHA to adjust program guidelines to ensure the program can continue to assist renters at high risk of eviction.  

During this temporary pause, new applications and recertifications will not be accepted. Those experiencing emergencies, such as eviction, immediate risk of homelessness, or utility cut-off, can start a new application for assistance through one of the program’s 15 Community Navigators. The complete list of Community Navigators is available on decovidhousinghelp.com. 

Processing of existing submitted applications and payments will continue during the pause. Those with open or in-progress applications submitted before 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 9, are encouraged to monitor their emails, text messages, and voicemails for status updates. The program will begin accepting new applications again in early October. 

“As stewards of the ERA funds, we know the substantial impact DEHAP has had in our communities. Running out of funds early or further jeopardizing this program’s longevity is not an option,” said DSHA Director Eugene R. Young Jr. “We ask that all remain patient over the next few weeks because these changes are necessary and in the best interest of those we serve.” 

To date, the DEHAP program has dispersed over $100 million in rental and utility assistance, serving close to 15,000 Delawareans as they recovered from the devastating impact of the pandemic. Earlier this month, Delaware was recognized at the White House Eviction Prevention Conference for using its rental assistance program to keep eviction rates low during the COVID-19 pandemic and even after federal and state eviction protections had expired. 

For additional details regarding the program changes, all are encouraged to sign up for email alerts and visit decovidhousinghelp.com for more information. 

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 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.