Your complete resource for understanding the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program — eligibility, applications, finding approved apartments, and tracking waitlists nationwide.
Delaware is a small state with meaningful variation in how housing assistance programs operate across its three counties. Whether you're in Wilmington, Dover, or a rural stretch of Sussex County, the federal framework is the same — but the local details that shape your actual experience differ from one Public Housing Authority to the next.
The phrase income-based housing covers several distinct programs, but the largest and most widely available is the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program — a federally funded rental assistance program administered locally by PHAs (Public Housing Authorities).
Unlike public housing, where you live in a government-owned unit, HCV is tenant-based: you find a private-market rental, and the PHA pays a portion of your rent directly to the landlord. That portion is called the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
Delaware also has project-based vouchers (PBV), where assistance is tied to a specific unit rather than following the tenant. If you leave a PBV unit, the subsidy stays with the property. Each type has different availability and tradeoffs depending on which PHA administers the program in your area.
Delaware's HCV program is not run by a single statewide agency. Multiple PHAs operate independently:
Each PHA sets its own payment standards, maintains its own waitlist, and applies its own local preferences. What's true for a DSHA applicant may not apply to someone going through the Wilmington Housing Authority.
HCV eligibility rests on several factors, and PHAs evaluate them together — not in isolation.
| Eligibility Factor | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Income limit | Typically set at 50% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the county; PHAs must prioritize households at or below 30% AMI |
| Household composition | Number of people in the household affects income limits and voucher size |
| Citizenship/immigration status | At least one household member must be a U.S. citizen or eligible nonstatus immigrant |
| Criminal history | PHAs have discretion; certain convictions may disqualify applicants |
| Rental history | Prior evictions, especially from federally assisted housing, can affect eligibility |
Income limits in Delaware vary by county and household size. New Castle County, for example, has different AMI figures than Kent or Sussex County — and those numbers are updated annually by HUD. The specific dollar thresholds that apply to your household depend on where you're applying and how many people live with you.
In Delaware, as in most of the country, waitlists are the central challenge. Demand for vouchers far exceeds supply, and most PHAs are not accepting new applicants at any given time.
When a waitlist opens, PHAs may use:
Wait times in Delaware can range from months to several years, depending on the PHA and available funding. There is no single statewide waitlist — you may need to apply separately to multiple PHAs.
Once you reach the top of a waitlist and are issued a voucher, the clock starts. Most PHAs give households 60 to 120 days to find a unit, though extensions are sometimes granted.
The voucher covers the gap between what you can afford and a locally established payment standard — the maximum amount the PHA will subsidize for a unit of a given size. You generally pay around 30% of your adjusted gross income toward rent and utilities; the PHA covers the rest, up to the payment standard.
If the unit's rent exceeds the payment standard, you pay the difference out of pocket — which adds to your share.
Utility allowances also factor in. If you pay utilities directly, the PHA adjusts the subsidy calculation to account for those costs.
Landlords who accept vouchers must:
Inspections check for things like functioning utilities, smoke detectors, adequate heating, no lead paint hazards for households with children under six, and structural safety. Units that fail must be repaired before assistance begins.
Not all Delaware landlords accept vouchers, and availability of willing landlords varies across the state — particularly in competitive rental markets near Wilmington.
HCV is not a one-time benefit. Annual recertifications require you to report your household's current income, composition, and any changes. If your income rises, your share of rent typically increases. If income drops, your subsidy may increase.
Interim recertifications can be requested if your income drops significantly between annual reviews. Failing to report changes on time can result in overpayment claims or termination.
Tenant-based vouchers are portable. Once you've used your voucher for at least 12 months (or sometimes immediately, depending on circumstances), you may be able to transfer it to another jurisdiction — including out of state.
This involves your initial PHA (where the voucher was issued) coordinating with the receiving PHA (where you want to move). The receiving PHA applies its own payment standards and local rules, which may differ significantly from Delaware's.
The same federal program produces very different results depending on:
Understanding the federal framework is a useful starting point. Applying it to your specific household, in your specific county, through a specific PHA — that's where the real picture comes into focus.
Select your state to view local waitlists, PHAs, and application information.