Habitat for Humanity’s Kevin L. Smith outlines zoning barriers, rental-market pressures, and the need for policy reforms to meet demand for 20,000 additional low-income homes
WILMINGTON , DE — The Wilmington Rotary Club gathered Thursday morning at the Hotel du Pont to hear a sobering but solutions-focused update on Delaware’s affordable housing crisis from Kevin L. Smith, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County.
Smith, who has led Habitat’s local chapter for the past 30 yearss through a period of growing demand and shrinking inventory, told Rotarians that Delaware is facing a “severe and worsening shortage” of affordable homes — with an estimated need for 20,000 additional low-income housing units just to meet the needs of current residents. The figure comes from the Delaware Housing Alliance and underscores what advocates have warned for years: the state’s housing pipeline is not keeping up with the need, and the problem is growing.
A Shortage That Ripples Across Families, Schools and Health
Smith said the impact goes far beyond housing statistics. Overcrowded homes and unstable living conditions, he explained, create significant challenges for children, from classroom performance to long-term health outcomes for all residents, especially the elderly.
“Every delay in building affordable housing shows up in a child’s life sooner or later,” he told the group. “We see it in instability, a lack of sleep, higher stress levels, and academic struggles.”…