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DEHAP RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS OPEN FOR NEW APPLICATIONS Program Pause Ends and Sets Agency Up to Assist Delaware Renters at High Risk of Eviction

Dover, Del., October 12, 2022 – The Delaware State Housing Authority announced today the reopening of the DEHAP Rental Assistance Program, in addition to its new program guidelines. New applications and recertifications, which were unavailable during the pause, are now accessible through the DEHAP portal here: http://www.decovidhousinghelp.com. All applications submitted on or after Wednesday, October 12, 2022, will be reviewed for eligibility under the new program guidelines, which include:

* Eligible households must be at 50% Area Median Income (AMI) or less AND provide documentation to verify their income

* Households may receive a maximum rental assistance amount of $1,500 per month and a maximum utility assistance amount of $500 per month

* Households may still receive up to 18 months of assistance for past due, current, and future rent, and up to 18 months of assistance for past due and current utilities

Households who submitted applications before the application portal paused on September 9 will have until Friday, October 14 to provide any missing documentation required to process their application. If missing documentation is not received by the deadline, the application will be closed out and the applicant will need to reapply under the new program guidelines.

The DEHAP Program is funded through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program, which the U.S. Treasury Department distributed to Delaware in January (ERA-1) and May 2021 (ERA-2). ERA-1 funding expired on September 30, 2022.

While ERA-2 funding is not set to expire until 2025, recent federal U.S. Treasury policy changes and the ongoing high demand for assistance have forced DSHA to make the abovementioned changes to ensure the program can continue to assist renters at increased risk of eviction.

"Thank you all for your patience during this program pause. I commend the DSHA staff and 15 DEHAP community navigators for their diligence in making the process as smooth as possible," said Eugene R. Young, Jr., Director of Delaware State Housing Authority. "The initial goal of DEHAP was to serve the people of this state, those at the margin and facing eviction. These changes will keep up the program's momentum and help those most in need."

To date, the DEHAP program has dispersed over $114 million in ERA funding, serving close to 20,000 Delawareans as they recovered from the devastating impact of the pandemic. This summer, Delaware was recognized at the White House Eviction Prevention for using its rental assistance program to keep eviction rates low during the COVID-19 pandemic and even after federal and state eviction protections had expired.

For additional details on the DEHAP Program, all are encouraged to visit decovidhousinghelp.com, call (866) 935-0407, or visit one of DEHAP's Community Navigators.

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