Wilmington homeowners can start applying Monday, Oct. 26, for up to $10,000 in home repairs through a new city program run with Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County. This time there's no lottery: applications are taken first come, first served until the money runs out (via City of Wilmington).
The city's Department of Real Estate and Housing is running the program with $500,000 set aside in the fiscal 2027 budget, which Mayor John Carney signed in late May. It was one line in a bigger housing push that also put $8.4 million toward affordable rental and homeownership subsidies, $500,000 into the city's land bank and $2 million into getting vacant lots ready to build on.
For the past few years, Wilmington handed out repair grants by random draw. The 2023-24 rounds used two lotteries and picked about 160 homeowners, according to the Delaware State Housing Authority. The most recent round, with registration in late 2025, offered up to $10,000 for one critical repair to the winners. The city says it heard plenty of feedback about the lottery and is moving away from that model.
The new program also narrows who qualifies. Applicants have to own a home inside city limits and earn at or below 80% of the area median income. The last lottery allowed households up to 100% of AMI. Delaware Public Media reported that the 80% line works out to $69,000 for a one-person household and roughly $98,000 to $99,000 for a family of four, with about $10,000 more for each additional person.
Applications go through the city's website, where residents can fill them out online or print them. Questions go to the city's 311 line. Ahead of the opening, the city held three information sessions Oct. 20-22, two online and one at the City/County Building on French Street.
That $10,000 figure isn't a hard ceiling. Bob Weir, the city's director of Real Estate and Housing, told Delaware Public Media the goal is to fix the problem rather than stop at a set number, and he pointed out that "materials and labor has gone up."
Habitat does more than line up the repairs. Javier Horstmann, director of special projects for Carney, said Habitat handles contracting the actual repairs and also does an energy review of each home to help owners cut their electric bills. "So folks aren't just getting home repairs addressed, they're also getting evaluated for other needs," he said.
The city's earlier repair program listed the kinds of work it covered: roofs, HVAC, weatherization, windows and doors, electrical and lighting, plumbing, masonry, structural and safety repairs, railings, accessibility work and exterior painting. The new release doesn't spell out an eligible-repair list, so homeowners should check the application for the current rules.
Do the math and the pot isn't huge. At $10,000 a job, $500,000 covers about 50 homes, and fewer if some repairs run over. City officials have framed the program as a way to head off deferred maintenance, which they say can turn into a vacant house quickly.
Why it matters for Contractors
The work runs through Habitat, not a city bid board. If you're a small roofing, HVAC, plumbing or electrical shop in Wilmington and want a shot at these jobs, Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County is the door to knock on. Its repairs team is reachable at repairs@habitatncc.org or (302) 652-0365 ext. 111. The city's announcement doesn't say how Habitat picks its contractors, so ask how it vets and pays subs before you count on the work.
Expect tight budgets. These are roughly $10,000 jobs aimed at one serious problem. Price carefully and document what you find, since the city's housing director has said the cap isn't a fixed number.
It's also a referral tool. When a homeowner in the city calls about a failing roof or furnace they can't afford, point them to the city's website or 311. The city's Resources for Homeowners page lists other options too, including Roofs from the Heart and First State Community Action Agency's heater repair program. Sending a customer toward help they qualify for may bring the job back to you down the road.