Rental assistance program to stop accepting applications

After dispersing $122 million in rental and utility assistance, the Delaware State Housing Authority will stop accepting applications in the new year to manage application volume, the agency announced Tuesday.

“There is no guarantee when the program will resume accepting new applications,” the Housing Authority said in a news release.

The program closure is necessary due to overwhelming demand, the agency said, causing funds to be “depleted at an exorbitant rate.”

No new applications or recertifications will be accepted for the Delaware Housing Assistance Program, or DEHAP, after 8 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. 

Landlords and tenants may continue submitting applications and recertifications until the Jan. 2 cutoff. Those with open or in-progress applications submitted prior to the deadline should continue to monitor their emails, text messages and voicemails for status updates.

This will be the second time the Housing Authority stops accepting DEHAP applications due to overwhelming demand. 

In September, the program was paused to modify regulations and manage application volume. It reopened in October with tighter restrictions.

It’s not clear whether the qualifications will be adjusted after the upcoming pause is lifted. 

According to the Housing Authority, people experiencing emergencies, such as eviction with a set court date, the immediate risk of homelessness or utility cut-off can start a new application for assistance after Jan. 2 through one of the program’s 15 Community Navigators.

The Housing Authority emphasized that the DEHAP program is not permanently ending, but said “the program in its current format will eventually end.”

For additional details on the DEHAP program, visit decovidhousinghelp.com or call 1-866-935-0407.

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