We are trying to level the playing field for everybody and help more people with that valuable resource. While homeless families in Delaware can expect to receive assistance in a year or two, some of the nation's largest cities have closed their waiting lists because they see no immediate prospect of housing people already on it. Washington, D.C. has compiled a list five-years long. In New York City, the wait can be eight years. In Delaware, the Housing Authority operates in the black and keeps its property well-maintained.
Residents have few complaints about crime.
While the time limits raise the hackles of advocates, residents here say three years is reasonable. Many have experienced periods of homelessness and understand the value of their leases. But, they are deeply distrustful of the methods and motive of the state housing authority. While most of Delaware's public housing tenants are African American, most of the state housing representatives are white. Tabitha Sabb lives with her young son in downtown Dover with the help of a rental voucher from the state.