Programs to check first
Low-income household
Delaware Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Eligibility
- Delaware Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) serves income-qualified Delaware households responsible for home energy costs. Rules consider income, household size, residency, citizenship or qualified immigration status, fuel type, energy burden, and crisis status, with priority for older adults, people with disabilities, and young children when funds are open.
- What it covers
- Covers energy bill assistance, crisis help for shutoff or fuel emergencies, and referrals to utility affordability or conservation programs. Benefit caps, seasons, vendor payment rules, and application windows are set by the current state plan and funding.
- How to apply
- Apply through the state program page or current intake channel. Gather recent utility or fuel bills, income proof, identification, household details, lease or ownership information if requested, and any shutoff, medical, disability, senior, or crisis documentation.
Low-income household
Delaware Weatherization Assistance Program
- Eligibility
- Weatherization is for income-qualified Delaware homeowners and renters. Federal and state guidance generally prioritize households with low income, older adults, disability, children, high energy use, high energy burden, or unsafe heating and cooling conditions. Renters usually need owner permission.
- What it covers
- Covers a no-cost energy audit and approved measures such as air sealing, insulation, duct work, heating-system safety checks, limited mechanical repair, ventilation, water-heater measures, and energy-related health and safety fixes. The audit sets the scope; it is not a general remodel fund.
- How to apply
- Use the weatherization page to find the current provider or application path. The provider screens income and priority, confirms the home can be weatherized, obtains owner permission for rentals, schedules an audit, assigns approved contractors, and completes final inspection.
Senior homeowner
USDA Rural Development Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants in Delaware
- Eligibility
- Section 504 is for very-low-income homeowners who occupy the home, cannot obtain affordable credit elsewhere, and live in a USDA-eligible rural area. Grants are only for owners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan; USDA income and property rules apply in Delaware.
- What it covers
- Covers repairs, improvements, modernization, accessibility work, and removal of health or safety hazards. Current USDA caps are loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000, with different disaster caps in certain declared areas.
- How to apply
- Use the USDA state page to confirm the property location, then contact Rural Development. Prepare income documents, ownership and occupancy proof, repair estimates, contractor details, and USDA review before work starts; applications are year round as funding allows.
Veteran
VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA)
- Eligibility
- HISA is for eligible Veterans and Servicemembers who need medically necessary improvements or structural alterations to a primary residence because of service-connected or non-service-connected disability. VA medical documentation must justify the project, and renters need written owner authorization.
- What it covers
- Covers disability-related access and sanitary use, such as permanent ramps, roll-in showers, access to sinks or counters, and plumbing or electrical changes required for home medical equipment. VA lists lifetime caps and excludes ordinary roofs, furnaces, decks, spas, and new construction.
- How to apply
- Start with the nearest VA medical center Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service. A package generally includes VA physician approval, VA Form 10-0103, owner authorization for rentals, itemized estimate, permit and inspection costs, and photos.
Student renter
HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program
- Eligibility
- Housing Choice Vouchers are for low-income renters, including elderly people and people with disabilities, through a local public housing agency. Student renters in Delaware are not automatically eligible; the PHA applies HUD student rules, income, immigration status, household composition, preferences, and wait-list priority.
- What it covers
- Covers rental assistance rather than homeowner repairs. In the standard voucher model, the household generally pays about 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities, while the PHA pays the approved subsidy to the landlord up to payment standards and rent-reasonableness limits.
- How to apply
- Find the public housing agency for the household, then follow that PHA's application and wait-list process. Expect income verification, student-status questions, identity and immigration documents when applicable, landlord approval, unit inspection, and lease review.
Where to start
Start with Delaware Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) when the urgent problem is a utility bill, shutoff notice, empty fuel tank, or unsafe heat or cooling situation and the application window is open. Choose Delaware Weatherization Assistance Program for a home that is drafty, poorly insulated, or expensive every month; expect an audit before work is approved. Use USDA Section 504 when a very-low-income owner lives in an eligible rural home and the repair affects habitability, accessibility, modernization, or health and safety. Veterans and servicemembers should ask VA about HISA before paying for ramps, bathroom access, or utility changes required by medical equipment. Student renters should contact HUD or the local public housing agency only if their full household can meet voucher rules. DNREC, Delaware DHSS, Delmarva Power, and Energize Delaware or local community agencies may also point households to current seasonal intake windows.
Separate emergency repairs from benefit review
If there is immediate danger, call emergency services, the utility, code enforcement, or a licensed contractor first. These programs can reduce cost after eligibility review, but most do not approve work retroactively.
Source: ProFix Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-06-09. This guide is informational and does not replace program eligibility review, license verification, legal advice, tax advice, or emergency response.