Speaking to legislators and other stakeholders at a meeting of the Delaware Housing Department Task Force, DHSS Deputy Secretary Lisa Schieffert stressed her department is the state’s largest agency, administering programs like SNAP and Medicaid. It also deals with a number of housing programs, like the State Rental Assistance Program, transitional housing, and recovery housing.
“DHSS has evolved in its approach to housing, moving from a, ‘we don't do housing,’ to recognizing, yes, actually we do housing," she said.
Schieffert says DHSS wants to hold on to the housing programs it offers, rather than transferring them to a potential statewide housing department.
“We kind of want to keep what we have because it does work. And for many reasons, these are all critical to our service delivery," she said. "The focus on that coordination aspect and clients coming to us in crisis, we have to be nimble and agile.”
She notes DHSS is the first point of contact for people with many needs, and suggests DHSS be located in the same place as other housing programs, regardless of which state agency offers them.
“The less time that a client needs to spend trying to maneuver from one agency to another agency to another agency, the better it is for that client," Schieffert said.
The task force was created by lawmakers earlier this year and tasked with considering the feasibility of creating a state department focused on housing.
