DOVER, Del.- State leaders shed light on the complex reasons behind the ongoing affordable housing crisis. Advocates stressed the need for a collaborative effort among various groups to find solutions.
At the joint hearing on Wednesday, both the Senate Housing & Land Use Committee and the House Housing Committee delved into presentations covering new reports.
These reports included data from the recent Health Needs Assessment survey by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Dr. Stephen Metraux's 2023 report on homelessness in Delaware, findings from the 2023 Point In Time Count by Housing Alliance Delaware, and the Delaware State Housing Authority's (DSHA) review of the 2023 Housing Needs Assessment.
DSHA's nearly 400-page assessment shed light on the critical need for affordable housing across different regions.
It highlighted stark disparities in poverty levels, emphasizing areas like Western Sussex County, North and South Kent County with the highest poverty rates. Conversely, East Sussex County and parts of New Castle County stood out for their comparatively lower poverty levels.
Sen. Elizabeth Lockman steered the discussions. Post-hearing, she underscored certain statistics, notably the concerning revelation that only a quarter of potential buyers could afford 80% of new housing, as particularly concerning.
Lockman said Wednesday's hearing served as a platform for lawmakers to assess the critical areas that demand attention as they gear up for the start of the legislative session in January.
"We've done a lot of great work on housing policy in recent years, but there is a depth and a breadth to the issue that I think a lot of us don't feel like we have been able to get our arms around just yet," she said.
Rachel Stucker with Housing Alliance Delaware proposed the establishment of a task force within the General Assembly to address these challenges.
Stucker, focusing on homelessness, highlighted critical statistics. She pointed out that more than a thousand individuals experience homelessness nightly, with a significant one-fourth of them being under 18 years old.
Stucker also recommended setting up a statewide housing trust fund for affordable housing production. She stressed the critical need for collaboration among governmental bodies, policymakers, and resources to effectively scale up solutions and drive statewide change.
"I spend a lot of time working with nonprofit partners, nonprofit housing developers, and homeless service providers. They do incredible work every day, but they are not going to be able to scale that up to a statewide solution without support from the public sector, the private sector, and everyone in between."
Participants highlighted the need for updated statewide land use regulations, recognizing the challenge posed by the varying rules established by local governments in terms of planning and zoning.
The full DSHA Housing Needs Assessment can be found here.