Why Housing Can’t Wait

Issue 11.16

April 25, 2025

WHY HOUSING CAN'T WAIT

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION TASK FORCE

RELEASES FINAL REPORT

The Affordable Housing Production Task Force, established in August 2024, released its final report a few weeks ago to the Governor and General Assembly. The Task Force was created to recommend strategies for how the State and local governments can increase the supply of housing that is affordable for all Delawareans.

TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Task Force acknowledges that the scale of this problem will require cross-sector action and involvement. The findings coalesced around nine objectives:

1. Increase/expand funding opportunities

2. Implement local zoning reform

3. Streamline the approval/permitting process

4. Adopt a statewide building code

5. Strengthen comprehensive plan requirements

6. Provide incentives to developers to create affordable housing units

7. Develop construction workforce pipeline via apprenticeships and other means

8. Assist in the purchase of manufactured home communities by homeowners

9. Optimize and improve the capacity of existing programs/processes

Read full report >

FAST FACT: Approximately 45,000 housing units are needed to address current shortages in the rental market and to keep up with population growth through 2030.

HOUSING TRENDS IN DELAWARE

DELAWARE AVERAGE HOME PRICE GROWTH

OUTPACES NATIONAL AVERAGE

Housing affordability continues to shape where people choose to live, with prices climbing significantly across the country. In Delaware, home prices have surged 56.2% over the past four years—outpacing the national average of 51.8%. At the same time, the number of single-person households has grown, even more so among older residents—accounting for nearly 13% of all households. Read more >

74%

percentage of homes that are owner-occupied

19%

growth of total number of people in owned homes between 2006-2022

32.5%

growth of single-person households

between 2006-2022

28.6%

total number of single-person

households

69.2%

growth of householders aged 65+ living alone between 2006-2022

FAST FACT: According to CNBC's latest rankings, Delaware ranks #14 in cost of living, up from it's ranking of #30 in 2023.

Looking ahead, Delaware’s future growth outlook remains positive. Between 2025 and 2035, the state's total population is projected to increase by over 67,000 people (6.4%), while the number of households is expected to rise by 23,579 (5.7%). Read more >

B.A.N.A.N.A. - TACKLING HOUSING DIVERSITY

FEATURING PRESTON SCHELL & LOGAN HERRING

In Delaware, the phrase "Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything" has become all too familiar in the housing industry. The demand for various types of housing—affordable, workforce, senior, and seasonal—is great to support the needs of Delawareans. In this episode, Preston Schell of Ocean Atlantic Companies and Logan Herring of the WRK Group sat down to explore the triumphs and shortcomings of housing in Delaware, and what’s next on the horizon. Listen to the episode >

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