Housing is the first domino. Without a confirmed address, probation and parole supervision in Delaware cannot begin, employment cannot start, and benefits cannot be accessed. Delaware probation and parole officers require an approved address before release is authorized. The housing search begins before the gate opens, not after.
Delaware is a small state with a tightly coordinated reentry system. The Delaware Department of Correction, Delaware State Housing Authority, Delaware Center for Justice, Wilmington HOPE Commission, and five public housing authorities work together through a framework built specifically to reduce housing barriers for returning citizens. That coordination means Delaware has programs that most states do not -- including a statewide program designed to allow returning citizens to live with family in public housing.
The Housing Landscape in Delaware
Delaware's transitional housing capacity is limited compared to larger states. The system relies heavily on state partners, nonprofits, and faith-based programs rather than a large network of DOC-operated facilities. The Delaware Correctional Reentry Commission (DCRC), established by Executive Order 27 in 2018, coordinates housing, employment, education, and behavioral health support for returning citizens statewide.
The Delaware Center for Justice (DCJ, dcjustice.org) provides Transitional Reentry Services through five mobile Peer Support Specialists deployed statewide. DCJ serves adults exiting DOC Level 4 and Level 5 facilities and is the primary point of contact for the Delaware Family Reentry Program. DCJ can be reached at 302-658-7174.
The Wilmington HOPE Commission (wilmhope.org) is Delaware's most established community reentry organization, serving high-risk men returning to Wilmington's most distressed communities. The HOPE Commission provides risk and needs assessments, cognitive-behavioral therapies, vocational readiness training, educational peer support, behavioral health services, family reunification programs, and a Critical Time Intervention (CTI) program for people transitioning from incarceration or inpatient treatment.
In Wilmington and New Castle County, the Ministry of Caring operates a network of emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive housing for men, women, families, and seniors. Friendship House provides transitional housing, empowerment centers, Code Purple shelter coordination, and stabilization services. Sunday Breakfast Mission provides emergency shelter and recovery-oriented residential programming.
In Kent County (Dover), Shepherd Place serves women and families with shelter and housing stabilization support.
For federal inmates, the Bureau of Prisons coordinates RRC placement through RRM Philadelphia, which covers Delaware. Federal RRC placement is coordinated by the BOP unit team beginning 17 to 19 months before the projected release date. Under the First Step Act, earned programming credits can result in RRC placement up to 12 months before release. Families do not apply to federal RRCs directly; the BOP determines placement.
DelawareHousingSearch.org, operated by DSHA, provides real-time listings for market-rate, subsidized, and affordable housing options statewide and is a practical starting point for housing searches.
Federal Restrictions on Public and Subsidized Housing
Federal law divides criminal history restrictions on federally assisted housing into mandatory lifetime bans and discretionary bans. Both apply in Delaware -- but Delaware has taken meaningful steps to address the discretionary ban problem through its Family Reentry Program.
Mandatory lifetime bans apply regardless of which Delaware public housing authority is involved:
Anyone subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program is banned from admission to public housing and most HUD-assisted programs. This is federal statute and no Delaware housing authority can waive it.
Anyone convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on federally assisted property is permanently barred from all HUD-assisted housing.
Certain drug-related convictions carry mandatory restrictions depending on the specific program and conviction type, though PHAs retain some discretion in this category.
Discretionary bans apply to all other criminal history. This is where Delaware has done something unusual: all five Delaware PHAs, together with DOC and DCJ, created the Family Reentry Program (FRP) specifically to allow returning citizens with certain histories to move in with family members in PHA-assisted housing. Rather than defaulting to blanket denials under discretionary authority, the FRP creates a structured review and approval process. This is one of the most distinctive housing programs in the country for returning citizens.
Delaware has no statewide fair chance housing law limiting private landlord use of criminal history.
For Families
Delaware's Family Reentry Program is the most important program for families in this article. If anyone in the family lives in public housing or holds a Housing Choice Voucher, the FRP creates a pathway that does not exist in most other states -- a structured process for the returning citizen to be approved to live with their family in that housing.
Family members living in PHA-assisted housing who believe their loved one may be eligible should contact their specific Public Housing Authority about FRP eligibility. Eligible applicants contact their Probation and Parole Officer or the Delaware Center for Justice (302-658-7174) to start the process.
This is not an automatic approval -- it is a structured review. But it is a pathway, and families in Delaware public housing should know it exists before assuming their person cannot come home.
For families not in public housing: even without FRP, the household contamination risk applies. If anyone in the family lives in HUD-assisted housing of any kind, contact the housing authority before the person comes home to understand whether the specific conviction triggers a mandatory ban or falls under discretionary review. The FRP applies to Delaware's five PHAs specifically; other HUD-assisted programs may have different rules.
What families can do before release:
If the family home is in public or subsidized housing, contact the Delaware Center for Justice (302-658-7174) and the specific PHA immediately about FRP eligibility. This is the single most important step for Delaware families in public housing.
Contact the DCJ Transitional Reentry Services about post-release peer support and housing navigation.
Use DelawareHousingSearch.org to search market-rate, subsidized, and affordable housing listings statewide before release.
Contact the Wilmington HOPE Commission (wilmhope.org) if the release address is in Wilmington -- they serve high-risk men returning to the city.
Read the Delaware DOC Friends and Family Handbook (launched November 2025) for guidance on navigating the Delaware correctional system. Available through the DOC.
Confirm all housing with the supervising probation or parole officer. The address must be approved before release is authorized.
State Resources
Delaware Center for Justice (dcjustice.org, 302-658-7174): Primary contact for the Family Reentry Program; Transitional Reentry Services with statewide mobile Peer Support Specialists. Key contact for any Delaware housing reentry question.
Delaware Family Reentry Program (FRP): Statewide program allowing eligible returning citizens to live with family in PHA-assisted housing. Contact DCJ (302-658-7174) or the specific PHA. Information at DSHA: destatehousing.com/find/family-reentry-program.
Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA, destatehousing.com): Coordinates FRP; waiting list opened February 3, 2025. DelawareHousingSearch.org for statewide housing listings.
Delaware Correctional Reentry Commission (DCRC, doc.delaware.gov/dcrc): Coordinates housing, employment, education, and behavioral health support statewide.
Wilmington HOPE Commission (wilmhope.org): Evidence-based reentry program for high-risk men returning to Wilmington; behavioral health, vocational readiness, family reunification, CTI program.
Ministry of Caring (ministryofcaring.org, Wilmington): Network of emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive housing for men, women, families, and seniors.
Friendship House (Wilmington): Transitional housing, empowerment centers, Code Purple shelter, ID assistance, stabilization services.
Legal Services Corporation of Delaware (lscd.com): Free civil legal assistance for eligible low-income Delawareans, including housing rights and eviction defense.
211 Delaware: Dial 211 for free referrals to housing, reentry services, and emergency assistance statewide.
Frequently asked questions
Can a felon get into public housing in Delaware?
It depends on the conviction type. Federal law mandates lifetime bans from HUD-assisted housing for people subject to lifetime sex offender registration and for people convicted of meth production on federally assisted property. Outside those mandatory bans, Delaware's five PHAs participate in the Family Reentry Program, which creates a structured pathway for eligible returning citizens to live with family members in PHA-assisted housing rather than defaulting to blanket discretionary denials. Contact the Delaware Center for Justice (302-658-7174) or the specific PHA to understand eligibility.
What is Delaware's Family Reentry Program?
The Family Reentry Program (FRP) is a statewide initiative created by Delaware's five public housing authorities (DSHA, Dover HA, New Castle County HA, Newark HA, and Wilmington HA) together with DOC and the Delaware Center for Justice. It allows eligible returning citizens to move in with family members who live in PHA-assisted housing, rather than being denied under standard discretionary authority. Eligible applicants contact their Probation and Parole Officer or DCJ at 302-658-7174. Family members in PHA-assisted housing should contact their specific PHA. This program is one of the most distinctive returning citizen housing initiatives in the country.
Can my family lose Section 8 if my person moves in?
Without the Family Reentry Program, yes -- allowing a person with a disqualifying criminal history to reside in a Section 8 or public housing unit can constitute a lease violation and result in termination of the voucher or eviction of the entire household. Delaware's FRP creates a structured alternative: contact the Delaware Center for Justice (302-658-7174) or the PHA before the person comes home to understand whether FRP eligibility applies. The conversation happens before release, not after.
How does transitional housing work in Delaware?
Delaware's transitional housing network is limited and runs primarily through nonprofits and faith-based organizations. The Delaware Center for Justice (dcjustice.org) provides mobile Peer Support through five statewide specialists serving adults exiting Level 4 and 5 DOC facilities. The Wilmington HOPE Commission serves high-risk men returning to Wilmington with comprehensive reentry services. Ministry of Caring and Friendship House in Wilmington operate shelter, transitional, and supportive housing programs. Shepherd Place serves women and families in Dover. For federal inmates, BOP coordinates RRC placement through RRM Philadelphia, beginning review 17 to 19 months before release. Under the First Step Act, programming credits can result in RRC placement up to 12 months before release.
What is the Delaware Center for Justice?
The Delaware Center for Justice (DCJ, dcjustice.org, 302-658-7174) is a nonprofit partner of the Delaware DOC and PHAs that provides Transitional Reentry Services statewide. DCJ operates five mobile Peer Support Specialists serving adults leaving Level 4 and 5 DOC facilities. DCJ is also the primary point of contact for the Delaware Family Reentry Program, which allows eligible returning citizens to live with family in PHA-assisted housing. For any housing question related to Delaware reentry, DCJ is the first call.
How does federal RRC placement work in Delaware?
The BOP unit team begins reviewing federal inmates for RRC eligibility 17 to 19 months before the projected release date. RRM Philadelphia manages Delaware placements. Under the First Step Act, earned programming credits can result in RRC placement up to 12 months before release. Families cannot apply to RRCs directly. The BOP coordinates based on the release plan, community of release, and available beds. Families can help by ensuring the planned release address is clearly documented with the case manager well in advance.
Can landlords in Delaware refuse to rent to ex-felons?
Yes. Delaware has no statewide fair chance housing law limiting landlord use of criminal history. Private landlords may use criminal records in tenant screening. Landlords using background check services must comply with the federal FCRA, which requires consent and adverse action notices. HUD guidance advises that blanket criminal history bans may violate the federal Fair Housing Act through disparate impact. DelawareHousingSearch.org provides listings of market-rate, subsidized, and affordable housing statewide that may include reentry-friendly options.
What housing programs help returning citizens in Delaware?
Delaware Center for Justice (dcjustice.org, 302-658-7174) provides Peer Support and coordinates the Family Reentry Program. Delaware Family Reentry Program (through DSHA and PHAs) allows eligible individuals to live with family in public housing. Wilmington HOPE Commission (wilmhope.org) serves high-risk men in Wilmington with comprehensive reentry support. Ministry of Caring (ministryofcaring.org) provides shelter and transitional housing in Wilmington. DelawareHousingSearch.org lists affordable housing statewide. Legal Services Corporation of Delaware (lscd.com) provides free housing legal help. 211 Delaware (dial 211) provides statewide referrals.
How do I find housing before my person is released?
Contact the Delaware Center for Justice (302-658-7174) as early as possible -- they are the central reentry housing coordinator in Delaware and can start the Family Reentry Program process if the family home is in public housing. Use DelawareHousingSearch.org for statewide housing listings. If the family home is in public or subsidized housing, contact the PHA immediately about FRP eligibility -- this conversation must happen before release. Contact the Wilmington HOPE Commission for men releasing to Wilmington. Read the Delaware DOC Friends and Family Handbook (November 2025). Confirm the planned address with the supervising officer -- required before release is authorized.
Do sex offenders face housing limits in Delaware?
Yes. Delaware uses a tiered sex offender classification system and imposes residency restrictions on registered sex offenders. Many transitional housing programs in Delaware will not accept registered sex offenders, and the Family Reentry Program has its own eligibility criteria that may affect registrants. Families of registrants must work directly with the supervising officer to identify compliant housing well before release. Confirm the current Delaware statute, tier-specific restrictions, and any applicable supervision conditions at publish time. ---