Many Kent County homes are in need of repair, but resources are limited

Homes in Kent County are more likely to need major repairs — such as new roofs, water heaters, or drywall patches — than those in other parts of Delaware, according to a consultant’s report published in 2023 by the Delaware State Housing Authority.

And, due to a combination of potential factors, the problem appears to be most acute for renters, according to researchers.

Those factors could include simple neglect by landlords, fear among renters of reporting maintenance issues, and rental housing not qualifying for some government rehabilitation dollars. 

In all, the report illustrates a struggle that goes beyond the current affordability crisis, as it highlights the limited opportunities for renters to get their homes repaired.

Stephanie Griffin, director of housing development for the DSHA, said government money that does exist to support home repairs most often goes to homeowners, rather than to landlords or to renters directly.

What needs exist in Kent? 

The report, written by Denver-based Root Policy Research, found that 15.8% of Kent County homes were in need of repair, compared to 11.5% in New Castle County and 12.1% in Sussex County. 

“Kent County really jumped out in many ways as having a lot of need, and I think that surprised us a little bit,” said Heidi Aggeler, managing director for Root Policy Research.

The study, which was conducted in partnership with DSHA, is based on a survey sent to residents across the state seeking information about various aspects of their housing, including affordability.

The report found that homes were in most need of weatherization, wall repairs, roofing and electrical wiring. 

About one in five single parents, people with disabilities or Black residents across the state reported that their homes were in need of repair, according to the report.

It also stated that renters are five times more likely than homeowners to live in a substandard home.

Renters feeling the pinch

Aggeler said when studying housing there’s often a perception that the state’s urban areas have the most need. But this study “balanced” the narrative, with its results about Kent County, she said.

The report also found that 26% of renters across the state reported living in poor or fair condition housing, as opposed to 6% of homeowners.

Aggeler said part of the reason for the substandard supply of rental housing could be because of a resistance to development. 

She said since areas in Kent and Sussex County are more rural, the only tenable option for a renter may be a unit that’s in need of repair. 

Separately, according to Aggeler, there’s also a fear among renters that reporting a problem with a home could lead to retaliation by a landlord. The report found minority renters were more likely to fear this retaliation compared to white renters.

One solution may be a bill that state lawmakers passed in June that currently awaits a signature from Gov. John Carney.

The bill, called SB 246, would allow a small portion of dollars from a state home repair assistance program to fund loans for landlords, on the condition that rents don’t rise. 

But Aggeler questioned whether getting rental homes repaired with government funding sends a wrong message to landlords who may willfully keep their units in poor condition. 

“If I give them money to make those repairs, am I just sort of rewarding them for having units in a poor state or poor condition?” Aggeler asked. 

Lawmakers passed SB 246 alongside a slate of other housing bills designed to address affordability in the state.

In 2023, there was a shortage of nearly 20,000 affordable homes in Delaware, according to the report.

What options exist for home repair in Kent? 

Griffin said there are limited options for rental repair through the state office. Any programs the organization does offer requires the landlord to agree to and implement with DSHA. 

Since the renters don’t own the property they would want to see repaired, they’re unable to tap into most home repair programs that do exist in the county. She said people concerned about conditions in their units are able to report violations to their local municipalities. 

While lawmakers passed several housing bills last months, they did approve one that would have expanded renter protections including allowing renters to hold payments in escrow until any poor conditions were addressed.

In Kent County, DSHA does refer homeowners to a home repair program through the Milford Housing Development Corporation (MHDC). 

Tami Golt is the home repair manager for MHDC and said the organization does work statewide using grants from DSHA, but only has grant funding for homeowners. The program is for low-income homeowners who are at or below 80% of the area median income. 

She said MHDC will do home repair emergencies like fixing broken heaters in the winter, leaking roofs and water heaters. Golt also said MHDC will do air conditioning repairs if someone can demonstrate a medical necessity. 

Delaware’s Central Habitat for Humanity also offers free home repair for households at 80% AMI. To qualify, residents must live a year in the house where work is requested. 

Golt said that when homes are left unrepaired it poses a safety risk to residents. Respiratory and structural problems are some of the main problems that could sprout from leaving a home without repair. 

But according to Golt, many of these homes are not willfully unrepaired. One of the main reasons a home could go without repair is the disposable income required to fix even one issue. 

“So you’ve got someone that’s paying a $1,500 mortgage, and they’re only making $30,000 a year, trying to come up with an extra $10,000 to repair or replace their heater – that’s a big issue,” she said.