Delaware Delegation Celebrates $5-million Federal Investment in Affordable Housing in Laurel
DE Congressional Delegation in Laurel / Image courtesy US Senator Chris Coons
Delaware’s Congressional Delegation joined NeighborGood Partners, local officials and community leaders in Laurel to celebrate $5-million in federal funding to support affordable housing in southern Delaware. This was the final stop in the delegation’s Sussex County tour – which included $3.72-million in healthcare investments for Sussex County – including for La Red’s Georgetown and Seaford facilities and Beebe’s new Coordinated Care Center in Millsboro. The Laurel stop highlighted federal and American Rescue Plan Act funds to expand affordable housing opportunities at the Meadow View project in Laurel – which will include 245 new homes.
Additional information from the Delaware Congressional Delegation:
Attendees saw the site where the initial 50 homes will be constructed.
“It’s challenging to actually finance, approve, build, deliver, and sustain quality affordable housing, so thank you, NeighborGood, for everything you’ve done to make all of this possible,” said Sen. Coons. “We as a delegation are so proud to have secured $2 million this year along with the ARPA funding for projects NeighborGood is leading that will provide safe, sanitary, decent, affordable housing for deserving Delawareans.”
“Delaware continues to take bold action toward ending the affordable housing crisis. This funding will build upon the passage of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act and support the great work being done by our local partners on the ground,”said Sen. Blunt Rochester. “We will continue to move forward with this level of collaboration and innovation to meet the diverse housing needs across the First State.”
“Ensuring families have access to affordable housing is a key focus of our congressional delegation,” said Rep. McBride. “I am proud to stand alongside Senator Coons and Senator Blunt Rochester as we celebrate this multi-million-dollar investment in NeighborGood’s Meadow View property and the affordable homes that will serve families across Sussex County. Housing developments like this are integral to the success of rural communities and help ensure our neighbors are able to put down roots in the communities where they live and work. Our delegation will continue to support both the necessary infrastructure and the construction of affordable and accessible housing for Delawareans across our state.”
“Meadow View represents a significant investment in affordable homeownership in Laurel,” said Karen Speakman, CEO of NeighborGood Partners. “With 245 homes planned across five phases, this project will help create more opportunities for families to put down roots and build long-term stability through homeownership.”
“A home is about more than a roof over your head,” said Dr. John Moore, Board President of NeighborGood Partners. “It is where families grow and communities become stronger. We are proud to be part of creating that opportunity for families in Laurel.”
“We know that increasing the supply of housing helps solve our housing crisis, so this $2 million in Congressional funding to help NeighborGood Partners build its newest 245-home community is great news for Delaware,” said DSHA Director Matthew J. Heckles. “It is exciting to see the diversity of housing and amenities that is planned for the Meadow View community and know the security it will bring to families, seniors and individuals in Laurel.”
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment made possible by an extraordinary investment in Delaware’s future,” said Kyle K. Pritchard, Delaware Director of Accounting. “NeighborGood Partners leveraged ARPA funding to expand access to affordable housing for Delaware families. Their work demonstrates what public resources can achieve when paired with trusted community partners—and the lasting difference we can make by investing in Delaware communities.”
“The partnerships with Senator Coons, Senator Blunt Rochester, and Congresswoman McBride, as well as with the NeighboGood partners, have been instrumental in bringing this tremendously needed development to our beautiful town of Laurel,” said Laurel Mayor Carlos Oliveras. “Our Town Manager Jamie Smith and Public Works Director James Folksy were key in helping to navigate the details needed to make this a reality. It would be a tremendous lift to our town in terms of property taxes and in terms of bringing talent and opportunity to our town. It is with eternal gratefulness that I appreciate this opportunity for the town of Laurel.”
Together, the four investments total $10.495 million for kitchen-table priorities affecting families throughout southern Delaware: access to affordable health care, primary care close to home, and housing within reach of working people.
NeighborGood Partners has served communities across the Delmarva Peninsula since 1976. Formerly known as NCALL, the nonprofit specializes in affordable housing development, housing counseling, financial education and lending. It is also a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-approved housing counseling agency, and its Loan Fund is certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution.
The organization works with individuals and families pursuing homeownership or seeking to avoid foreclosure, while also providing financing and technical assistance for affordable housing, community facilities and neighborhood revitalization projects.