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Home repair faqs

What is the Delaware Home Repair Program?

The Delaware Home Repair Program is a partnership with Delaware’s three Habitat for Humanity organizations — Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County, Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity, and Sussex County Habitat for Humanity — to administer a $3 million grant program to help eligible Delaware homeowners who need to make critical home repairs, but have been unable to because of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

*New Castle County and Kent County are no longer accepting applications. Sussex County has a waitlist.*

Who is eligible for the Delaware Home Repair Program?

Delaware homeowners may be eligible for assistance from the Delaware Home Repair Program if they meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Household income at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI)

  • Property must be the homeowner’s primary residence
  • Financial hardship must have occurred after January 21, 2020
  • Property must be a single-family, detached or attached home or townhouse, a one-to-four unit single-family condominium, or a mobile or manufactured home

*New Castle County and Kent County are no longer accepting applications. Sussex County has a waitlist.*

My application was denied for the home repair program. What should I do now?

    The Statewide Emergency Repair Program (SERP), also DSHA-funded, is managed by Milford Housing Development Corporation and is an additional ongoing program available to homeowners. For more information, please call toll free at (844) 413-0038. There are also more homeowner resources available here.

    What is Area Median Income (AMI)? How do I find it?

    AMI is the midpoint income for a specific area. 50% of families in the area earn more than the median and 50% earn less than the median. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets different levels of AMI for areas across the country by household size.

    AMI is used to determine eligibility for affordable housing programs at the federal and local levels. For the Delaware Home Repair Program, applicants must be at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI).

    See below for maximum household income based on your household size and county or find your AMI here.

    County1 Person2 Person3 Person4 Person5 Person6 Person
    New Castle$62,500$71,400$80,350$89,250$96,400$103,550
    Kent$45,750$52,300$58,850$65,350$70,600$75,850
    Sussex$49,800$56,900$64,000$71,100$76,800$82,500

    How can I apply for the Delaware Home Repair Program?

    Homeowners can apply for the grant through their local Habitat for Humanity. Delaware’s three Habitat for Humanity organizations —Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County, Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity, and Sussex County Habitat for Humanity— will initiate the application process and obtain required documentation from their respective counties, determine eligibility, and oversee repair work for accepted applications. 

    To prepare to apply, download the Documentation Checklist here.

    Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the $3 million runs out. New Castle County and Kent County are no longer accepting applications. Sussex county has a waitlist.

    What can the DEHAF-Home Repair funds be used for?

    The program is intended to address conditions severe enough that, for health or safety reasons, would involuntarily displace the homeowner from the property. Repair work to be done could include:
    • Pest abatement
    • Insulation installation
    • Mold and mildew remediation
    • Asbestos and lead paint removal
    • Heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing repairs
    • Structural issues such as roof, floor, stairway, porch, and window repairs or replacement
    • Repair, replacement or installation of accessibility aids such as hand railings, ramps, grab bars, and wider doorways

    How much home repair assistance can I apply for?

    The Delaware Homeowner Assistance Fund (DEHAF) Home Repair Program grant for each household is capped at $20,000.

    Is assistance from the Delaware Home Repair Program provided to homeowners as a grant or a loan?

    The Delaware Home Repair Program funds are issued in the form of non-recourse grants, that homeowners do not need to repay.The homeowner’s respective Habitat for Humanity organization will oversee repair work for accepted applications.

    Can the Delaware Home Repair Program help if the Homeowner has already moved out of the property?

    No. In order to be eligible for assistance, the homeowner must currently occupy the home as their primary residence.

    What types of properties are eligible for Delaware Home Repair Program assistance?

    • Single-family (attached or detached) property
    • Condominium unit
    • 1 to 4-unit property where homeowner lives in a unit as their primary residence
    • Manufactured home permanently affixed to real property and taxed as real estate
    • Mobile home not permanently affixed to real property

    I don’t have internet or computer access. How do I apply for the Delaware Home Repair Program?

      Please visit the public library in your community to access a computer and the internet. Typically, computers are available to use for free. Additionally, homeowners can call their local Habitat for Humanity organization.
      Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County: (302) 652-0365
      Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity: (302) 526-2366 ext 115
      Sussex County Habitat for Humanity: (302) 855-1153

      Do I have to pay a fee to apply for the Delaware Home Repair Program?

        No. Under no circumstances may a homeowner applicant be charged an application fee or charged a fee for third party services to apply