Lewes will have its first newly-constructed affordable housing in two decades by this time next year.
Chapel Branch Apartments are a 42-unit affordable housing project that will include a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments.
The project was funded by private, county, state and federal funds, including some from the Delaware State Housing Authority. The site will also have a food pantry and other resources and services available in a community building.
Eastern Sussex County faces an affordable housing shortage due to high land costs and lack of available plots, according to Sussex County’s director of community development Brandy Nauman.
“This is our first first step towards increasing our own county inventory of affordable housing and supplying that for our local workforce,” Nauman said.
State Sen. Russ Huxtable said affordable housing needs to be a priority in Sussex County to address the affordability crisis and house its workforce.
“You're not just creating the housing units, but you're also creating a community and there's a community building,” Huxtable said. “It's not just about providing the unit but also providing those wraparound services.”
Nauman said her department identified a need for affordable housing in the Lewes area, and she’s glad partners like Sussex County, DSHA, Discover and Volker Development could make this project happen in a timely manner.
Huxtable said he’s looking forward to the holidays next year, when families will fill the homes at Chapel Branch.
