The Delaware State Housing Authority highlights an affordable housing project in Wilmington as part of National Community Development Week.
The first three phases of The Flats project on Wilmington’s West Side are complete, delivering 221 affordable housing units. And construction on another 52 units begins soon. The average two-bedroom apartment starts at $965, and the waiting list has over 500 people.
Rebecca Macy is a Flats resident, whose life was upended by a car accident. After several surgeries, learning how to walk again, and living in a shelter, she found a home in the Flats and calls it a blessing.
“My 13-year-old was not doing well because we were not stable, he’s got high-functioning autism and stability is really important for them," Macy says. "He’s thrived since we’ve been here in the last year and a half.”
DSHA Director Eugene Young says the Flats used money from funds like the Community Development Block Grant program, HOME grants, and the Housing Trust Fund to keep units affordable.
“The governor has issued over $122 million into housing which is unheard of," Young says. "This is by far, unprecedented, the most money that has ever been put towards housing in our state’s history. And so these funds are going to help to have more opportunities like this at the Flats, and Reach Riverside, and down in areas of Georgetown and Laurel.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Regional Administrator Matt Heckles says they have allocated over $7 million in Community Development Block Grant funds and $5 million in HOME funds to Delaware.
Since 2001, Delaware has produced 20 new housing units using the block grants, and Wilmington and New Castle County built 29 new affordable homes using HOME funds.
County Executive Matt Meyer says affordable housing is needed statewide, and in New Castle County, they’re counting on the $31 million fund to create more.
“This is such a big problem right now for such a large percentage of residents of our county and such a large percentage of Delawareans, that there can be no difference in jurisdiction, there’s no space for any disagreement,” Meyer says.
Meyer adds the county recently partnered with Wilmington to accept housing vouchers between jurisdictions, and sees similar partnerships with other cities coming soon.
