Advocates say the crisis of homelessness in the First State is worsening.
A new report by Housing Alliance Delaware says more than 9,000 households experiencing a housing crisis called Delaware’s centralized intake system between summer 2020 and 2021.
Sarah Rhine, Housing Alliance Delaware’s policy director, sees this measure as a “canary in the coalmine.”
“What we’re hearing from our intake staff now, and what our data is starting to show, is that I think we’re on trend for a higher number this year,” she said.
Advocates point to a shortage of affordable housing in Delaware as a primary driver of homelessness.
Housing Alliance Delaware’s report finds a shortage of nearly 20,000 rental units for extremely low-income renter households statewide.
Rhine says affordable housing is especially scarce in Sussex County—where PolicyMap reports median rent rose more than 100% in the last two decades, outpacing income.
“Sussex County actually has the largest affordability gap in the state,” she said. “Like, it’s crazy. It’s crazy the affordability gap in Sussex County.”
Rhine says funds from the American Rescue Plan Act should be put toward building new affordable housing statewide, by retrofitting existing buildings and paying nonprofit housing developers to put up new ones.
New Castle County recently announced $30 million of its federal COVID relief money will be put toward affordable housing over the next few years.
