ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSING & OTHER ISSUES

Rental Assistance

An important explanation of the updated Lot rental assistance program There are times when a homeowner’s household income decreases substantially. The death of a loved one, or some other dramatic change in income. With the passage of Delaware SB317, the lot rent assistance program

changed dramatically. Previously it was almost impossible to qualify for this program. Effective July 1, 2022, the program has significantly improved. Under this legislation, a community owner shall provide lot rental assistance to qualified homeowners. Qualifications are as follows:

1. The homeowner must have owned the manufactured home or resided in the home in a manufactured home community for 5 consecutive years before requesting lot rental assistance.

2. The homeowner must reside full-time and exclusively in the manufactured home in the manufactured home community and the manufactured home must be the homeowner’s only residence.

3. A homeowner qualifies for limited lot rental assistance if the total income of the homeowner and all

occupants are greater than 40% and below 55% of the county median household income as determined by the US Department of Housing and Urban development.

4. The total assets of the homeowner and all occupants do not exceed $50,000. Total assets means all liquid assets including bank accounts, stocks & and the total amount of excess lien paydowns against the manufactured home during the previous 5 years that exceed the scheduled amortization of the lien balance.

5. The homeowner and occupants must provide to the community owner all documentation necessary to determine eligibility for lot rental assistance, such as bank records, tax returns, etc..

6. The homeowner, occupants and the manufactured home must be in substantial compliance with all manufactured home community rules, regulations and standards.

The above is an abbreviated text taken from Delaware Title 5, Chapter 70 Sub-Chapter II 7022B. The complete text can be found at https://delcode.delaware.gov/title25/c070/sc02/index.html#7022.

If you are having difficulty getting approved for a rental due to a previous eviction or another legal issue, for legal advice and assistance, contact the Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) or the Legal Services Corporation of Delaware (LSCD). CLASI can be reached at 302-575-0660, and LSCD can be reached at 302-575-0408 or here.
 

If you need financial assistance for a security deposit, contact one of the below nonprofit organizations with which the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) partners. They may be able to help.

• West End Neighborhood House: 302-658-4171 (They offer a statewide security deposit loan program for individuals who need help paying a security deposit.)
• Lutheran Community Services: 302-654-8886 (They have a statewide homelessness prevention program and may be able to provide rental assistance.)
• Catholic Charities: 302-655-9624 (They can provide rental assistance information and referrals.)

Mortgage Assistance
This program is not currently active. A list of the agencies can be found at https://demortgagehelp.com/.

Locating Housing & Other Assistance
For individuals looking for a rental home, a good resource is the Delaware Housing Search website. Individuals can search by location, room number, cost, and other factors, and locate sites with waiting lists for affordable housing. Also, individuals can call 1-877-428-8844 for assistance with this process.
 

In addition, individuals can contact their nearest State Service Center (SSC) for assistance. SSCs may be able to provide individuals and families with hotel/motel vouchers, as well as additional resources like EBT cards and Medicaid. To locate and contact your nearest SSC, click here.
 

If you are experiencing a crisis and need emergency shelter, contact Housing Alliance Delaware’s centralized intake at 1-833-FIND-BED or intake@housingalliancede.org.

Utility Bills
Assistance with utility bills available through DEHAP. Click here 

For assistance with utility bills and to stop disconnections, individuals can contact Drew Slater at the Office of the Public Advocate, at andrew.slater@delaware.gov or 1-888-607-2427.

Food Assistance
For individuals and families in need of emergency food assistance, Delaware 211 can help. Visit their website here, call 211, call 1-800-560-3372, or text your zip code to 898-211.
 

Also, the Food Bank of Delaware has locations in Newark and Milford. For more information, click here, email foodbank@fbd.org, or call 302-292-1305 (Newark) or 302-424-3301 (Milford).

Security Deposits:

If you need financial assistance for a security deposit, contact the below nonprofit organizations with which the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) partners. They may be able to help:

1. West End Neighborhood House: 302-658-4171 (Offer a statewide security deposit loan program for individuals who need help paying a security deposit.)

2. Lutheran Community Services: 302-654-8886 (Have a statewide homelessness prevention program and may be able to provide rental assistance.)
3. Catholic Charities: 302-655-9624 (Provide rental assistance information, and referrals.)

Utility Bill Help as of August 3, 2021:

Soon, assistance with utility bills will be available through DEHAP. Keep checking here: https://decovidhousinghelp.com/ for updates.

For assistance with utility bills and to stop disconnections, individuals can contact Drew Slater at the Office of the Public Advocate, at andrew.slater@delaware.gov or 1-888-607-2427.

Food Assistance Help as of August 3, 2021:

For individuals and families in need of emergency food assistance, Delaware 211 can help:

Website: https://delaware211.org/index.php/basic-needs/food/food-assistance
Call 211 or 1-800-560-3372

Text your zip code to 898-211

The Food Bank of Delaware has locations in Newark and Milford.

Website: https://www.fbd.org/get-help/

Email foodbank@fbd.org,

Call 302-292-1305 (Newark) or 302-424-3301 (Milford)