DOVER, Del. – Delaware officials announced plans Thursday to expand the Hope Center model into Kent County through the proposed purchase of a former Delaware State University residential facility in Dover.
Gov. Matt Meyer and the Delaware State Housing Authority said they have reached an agreement in principle with Delaware State University to purchase the Living and Learning Commons on North DuPont Highway. The facility would serve as a new Hope Center aimed at addressing homelessness and increasing access to supportive services in central Delaware.
The announcement follows the creation of the Delaware Interagency Collaborative to End Homelessness earlier this year. State officials and service providers identified significant shortages in shelter space and support services, particularly in Kent and Sussex counties.
“Housing is a human right,” Meyer said in a statement. “We must provide Delaware’s most vulnerable with safe, stable shelter with dignity, providing real hope for a brighter tomorrow.”
Officials said a Hope Center in Dover would help fill regional service gaps, strengthen emergency response efforts and improve pathways to permanent housing.
DSHA Director Matthew Heckles called the proposal a major step toward reducing homelessness statewide.
“By creating a Hope Center in Dover, and eventually Sussex, we can boost the capacity of our homelessness system in settings that combine housing and supportive services,” Heckles said.
The proposed site is a 132,449-square-foot building on nearly six acres. According to DSHA, the property is located in a commercial area with access to public transportation and includes living quarters and common spaces that could be adapted for supportive housing and services.
Delaware State University President Tony Allen said the building is underused and that its sale would not affect university operations.
“The Living and Learning Commons can now be a place where Delaware families in transition find stability, services and a pathway to permanent housing,” Allen said.
Under the agreement, DSHA would purchase the property for $11.243 million, pending a final contract. The agency said it would use existing funding for the acquisition and would not rely on new state appropriations.
If finalized, DSHA would own and operate the center and partner with state agencies and contractors to provide housing support and other services for residents and the surrounding community.
