Executive order from Gov. Meyer calls for solutions to high cost of affordable, workforce housing projects
DELAWARE – Governor Matt Meyer (D – Del.) has signed an executive order dealing with housing. The order calls for the creation of a one-stop shop for permitting and zoning in affordable and workforce housing projects.
Housing Costs Putting Families Under Pressure
The governor called the cost of housing one of the greatest challenges currently facing the First State.
“The rent is too high, the cost of purchasing a home is too high with mortgage rates staying high. It’s really hard for working families to make it … (The executive order) not only orders state government to reduce permitting and zoning costs but it also looks at how we can get intergovernmental collaboration” Gov. Meyer said.
As much as one-third of the cost that homebuyers pay is associated with so-called “soft costs,” according to Gov. Meyer.
“It has nothing to do with actually building the house. It has to do with getting the permitting and zoning right,” said Gov. Meyer.
Stephanie Griffin, director of housing development for the Delaware State Housing Authority (the Housing Authority) said those costs often trickle down to homebuyers and renters.
“When you’re figuring out how much rent you’re charging or how much you’re going to sell a property for, you have to be able to cover the expenses that you put out,” Griffin said.
Effecting Efficiency, Balancing Priorities
Griffin added the executive order could help in terms of efficiency during the permitting and zoning processes.
“(The process) can be very dependent on procedures established and codes adopted by each municipality or jurisdiction. More unified approaches can certainly lead to more certainty around requirements and expectations,” Griffin said.
The Housing Authority also focused on supporting the existing affordable housing stock while providing new places to live, Griffin added.
“If you are building new but not preserving what you have you’re just treading water, right? So, we try to find ways to balance the resources to make sure that we can work to preserve while we’re also working to increase (housing stock,)” Griffin said.
The Housing Authority is part of the state’s Affordable Housing Production Task Force. Griffin said it is constantly looking for ways to improve housing accessibility for Delawareans of all backgrounds.
“There is a lot of interest around how we can improve the process and also identify ways to make this better for everybody,” Griffin said.
Looking Ahead
Gov. Meyer said he plans to tackle other pieces of the housing puzzle in the future.
“You’re going to see a lot of innovative programs not just with affordable housing but workforce housing. You’re also going to see unprecedented collaboration between state and local government,” Gov. Meyer said.
One particular goal is to address Delaware’s land use codes. The governor said restrictions around density limits must be revisited in the face of a 20,000-unit housing shortage.
“Many local land use codes today are written as what I call ‘sprawl code’ … If you change the code or do things in state government to encourage local density, you’ll find areas able to have lots of housing units in a small area, and enable us to preserve farmland and parklands,” Gov. Meyer said.
Looking ahead on the housing front, Gov. Meyer said he is excited about his nomination of Matthew Heckles as the director of the Housing Authority. Heckles is currently the Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, serving Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia.
Heckles would be tasked with addressing Delaware’s growing housing affordability crisis and working with stakeholders to bring down costs, build more units, and reduce homelessness, according to the Governor’s Office. His nomination must be confirmed by the Delaware State Senate.
