31 Del. C. §§ 4032, 4033, 4035, 4036 § 4032
Power to supervise housing sponsors
Operative Text
DSHA shall have the power to supervise housing sponsors, including limited profit housing sponsors and their real and personal property, in the following respects: (1) DSHA may prescribe uniform systems of accounts and records for housing sponsors and may require them to make reports and give answers to specific questions on such forms and at such times as may be necessary for the purposes of this chapter. (2) Through its agents or employees, DSHA may enter upon and inspect the lands, buildings and equipment of a housing sponsor, including all parts thereof, and may examine all books and records with reference to capital structure, income, expenditures and other payments of a housing sponsor. (3) DSHA may supervise the operation and maintenance of any housing development and may order such repairs as may be necessary to protect the public interest or the health, welfare or safety of the housing development occupants. (4) DSHA may fix, and alter from time to time, a schedule of rents and charges for any housing development. (5) DSHA may determine, for any housing development, standards for tenant selection by a housing sponsor. (6) DSHA may require any housing sponsor to pay to DSHA such fees as it may prescribe in connection with the examination, inspection, supervision, auditing or other regulations of the housing sponsor. (7) DSHA may order any housing sponsor to do, or to refrain from doing, such things as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of the law, the rules and regulations of DSHA, and the terms of any contract or agreement to which the housing sponsor may be a party. (8) DSHA may regulate the retirement of any capital investment or the redemption of stock where any such retirement or redemption, when added to any dividend or other distribution, shall exceed in any 1 fiscal year 10% of the original face amount of any investment by any housing sponsor. (9) DSHA may prescribe regulations specifying the categories of cost which shall be allowable in the construction or rehabilitation of a housing development. DSHA shall require any housing sponsor to certify the actual housing development costs upon completion of the housing development, subject to audit and determination by DSHA. Notwithstanding this subdivision, DSHA may accept, in lieu of any certification of housing development costs, as provided herein, such other assurances of the said housing development costs, in any form or manner whatsoever, as will enable DSHA to determine with reasonable accuracy the amount of said housing development costs.
Under 31 Del. C. §§ 4032, 4033, 4035, and 4036, the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) is granted broad supervisory authority over housing sponsors — entities that develop or operate subsidized or limited-profit housing. The law empowers DSHA to inspect properties and financial records, set rent schedules, establish tenant-selection standards, require fee payments, mandate repairs, and regulate financial distributions such as dividends and capital redemptions. DSHA may also define allowable construction costs and require certified cost reporting upon project completion, with the ability to audit those certifications.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing sponsors operating under DSHA oversight, as established by 31 Del. C. §§ 4032, 4033, 4035, and 4036, generally maintain uniform accounting systems and records in the format DSHA prescribes, and respond to information requests and inspections in a timely manner. Compliant operators keep their properties in good repair, adhere to DSHA-approved rent schedules and tenant-selection standards, and pay any supervisory fees DSHA has established. Upon completing a housing development, operators typically certify actual development costs and cooperate with any subsequent DSHA audit of those figures.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in housing developments subject to 31 Del. C. §§ 4032, 4033, 4035, and 4036 benefit from DSHA's authority to set rent schedules, establish tenant-selection standards, and order repairs necessary to protect health, welfare, and safety. If conditions in a DSHA-supervised development appear to fall below required standards — such as unaddressed maintenance issues or rents that seem inconsistent with DSHA-approved schedules — tenants may consider contacting DSHA directly to raise concerns or file a complaint. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Delaware housing law can also help residents understand what protections apply to their specific housing development.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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