DEHAP closure leaves Delawareans struggling to keep a roof over their heads

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) will no longer accept new applications to the Delaware Housing Assisting Program (DEHAP) at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, January 2, 2023, due to high demand for assistance. DEHAP assistance is not guaranteed, and applications or recertification will be processed in the order they are received, according to a report by Delaware News on December 13, 2022.

The DEHAP program has already disbursed over $122 million In rental and utility assistance to close to 22,000 Delawareans. The DEHAP program is funded through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program, which was distributed to Delaware in January and May of 2021. The DEHAP program’s funds are being depleted at a rapid rate, and it is expected that the program in its current format will eventually come to an end.

However, a reopening date has not been announced at this time. Applications for recertification will not be accepted during this program closure, and future assistance is not guaranteed.

Based on the guidelines released by DEHAP Rental Assistance, denied applications can be appealed, but assistance is not guaranteed. Individuals experiencing emergencies, such as eviction with a set court date or an immediate risk of homelessness, can start a new application for assistance after January 2, 2023, through one of the program’s 15 community navigators.

The DSHA Is a public housing authority that receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to build, own, and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware.