If you need help paying a rental security deposit in Delaware, a combination of state programs, federal rental assistance, and local nonprofits can cover part or all of the cost, provided you meet income limits and, for some programs, are connected to state social services or facing a specific housing crisis. There is no single application. Where you start depends on your situation, and because funding cycles open and close, moving quickly matters.
What Your Landlord Can Legally Charge
Delaware caps the security deposit at one month’s rent for any lease of a year or more. The same cap applies to month-to-month tenancies once you’ve lived in the unit for at least a year. Furnished units are exempt. A pet deposit is allowed but is also capped at one month’s rent regardless of lease length.1Justia Law. Delaware Code Title 25 – Section 5514 Security Deposit
This matters when you’re applying for help. Most assistance programs will only pay the legally allowable amount. If a landlord is asking for more than one month’s rent on a standard year-long unfurnished lease, that request itself violates Delaware’s Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, and no program should be paying it.1Justia Law. Delaware Code Title 25 – Section 5514 Security Deposit
State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP)
SRAP is a state-funded voucher program run by the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA). It provides ongoing rent subsidies and can also cover security deposits and relocation fees. Participants pay 28% of their monthly income toward rent, and SRAP covers the rest.2Delaware State Housing Authority. State Rental Assistance Program Fact Sheet
You cannot apply for SRAP directly. Referrals come through the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) or the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF). The program targets a defined population:
- People leaving long-term care facilities or nursing homes
- People at risk of admission to a state-supported institution
- Young adults aging out of foster care
- Families where the lack of affordable housing is blocking reunification
You also need U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status, Delaware residency, to be at least 18 (or within 60 days of turning 18), and household income at or below 50% of the state median income.2Delaware State Housing Authority. State Rental Assistance Program Fact Sheet If you’re already working with a DHSS or DSCYF caseworker, ask whether an SRAP referral is available in your case.
Housing Stability Program and Other DSHA Options
DSHA’s Housing Stability Program (HSP) provided up to $1,800 per month for up to three months in help with rental arrears, late fees, and security deposits. DSHA awarded more than $5 million in HSP grants to eight community partner organizations statewide, with the goal of preventing evictions and covering security deposits and first-month rent for new housing. HSP was funded through the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program.3Delaware State Housing Authority. Delaware State Housing Authority Housing Stability Program
HSP’s application portal closed in May 2025 as the program entered its final stages of funding.4Delaware State Housing Authority. Housing Stability Program Begins Final Stages of Funding Check destatehousing.com for the current status and any successor programs, because Delaware has historically launched new rental assistance initiatives as federal funding refreshes.
DSHA also administers the Housing Development Fund, which Delaware’s 211 directory lists as a source of rental deposit assistance for low-income renters. The Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), run through local housing authorities, can sometimes cover deposits for participants depending on local policy and available funds. Voucher waitlists in Delaware often stretch for months or years, so Section 8 is rarely a fast answer when you need a deposit now.
Nonprofit and Community Programs
When state programs have waitlists or closed enrollment, community organizations often fill the gap. Housing Alliance Delaware coordinates much of this work statewide and runs a centralized intake line that connects renters with available resources, including move-in cost help. Call 1-833-346-3233, or use Delaware 211 (dial 2-1-1), which maintains a searchable directory of rental deposit assistance providers in all three counties.
Faith-based groups play a significant role. The Salvation Army of Delaware and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington both offer emergency financial assistance that can include help with security deposits, based on documented need. These organizations usually pay the landlord directly rather than handing funds to the tenant. Other community providers listed through Delaware 211 include West End Neighborhood House, Housing Opportunities of Northern Delaware, Peoples Place, and Sussex Community Crisis Housing Services.
Nonprofit funding tends to be limited and seasonal. Some organizations receive new grant money at the start of a fiscal year or after a fundraising cycle, so if you’re told funds are out, ask when they expect to reopen and call back. Many also offer financial counseling alongside the deposit help, which can be useful for negotiating lease terms or spotting rental scams.
Who Qualifies
Every program sets its own rules, but most share three filters.
Income
Nearly all programs use income limits tied to federal guidelines. HUD publishes area-specific thresholds each year, and most assistance targets households earning below 50% or 80% of the area’s median income. Figures vary by region: for a four-person household in FY2025, the 50% threshold ran from roughly $48,750 in Sussex County to about $59,700 in the Wilmington metro area.5U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. FY2025 Adjusted HOME Income Limits – Delaware SRAP uses a stricter measure, at 50% of the state median income.2Delaware State Housing Authority. State Rental Assistance Program Fact Sheet
Housing Situation
Most programs require that you’re currently homeless, facing eviction, living in unstable or unsafe conditions, or moving out of an institutional setting. Applicants already housed in stable, affordable apartments generally won’t qualify. Some programs prioritize survivors of domestic violence, veterans, and people with disabilities. County-level programs may require a minimum time living in the jurisdiction.
Citizenship and Residency
State-funded programs like SRAP require U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status and Delaware residency.2Delaware State Housing Authority. State Rental Assistance Program Fact Sheet Some nonprofit programs have more flexible rules and may help regardless of immigration status. Ask the organization directly.
Documents to Have Ready
Missing paperwork is the most common reason applications stall. Pull these together before you apply.
Identification. A valid government-issued photo ID for each adult in the household, plus birth certificates for children. Some programs also require Social Security numbers for everyone in the household. If you lack standard ID, community organizations like Catholic Charities can sometimes help you obtain alternative verification.
Proof of income. For employed applicants, recent pay stubs (usually the last two to four) or an employer letter showing pay rate and hours. For government benefits, award letters or benefit statements for Social Security, SSI, TANF, SNAP, or other programs. For self-employed applicants, your most recent tax return with bank statements or a profit-and-loss statement. If you have no income, a signed zero-income affidavit; most programs supply a template. Non-wage income like child support, alimony, and disability benefits counts too, so disclose it. Underreporting can disqualify you.
Lease or housing agreement. A signed lease showing the unit address, monthly rent, lease term, and landlord contact information. If you haven’t signed yet but have been approved for a unit, a letter from the landlord with the terms and required deposit usually works. Some programs also require the landlord to complete a W-9 so payment can be issued directly.6New Castle County, DE – Official Website. Landlord Information
If you’re moving because of eviction or unsafe conditions, bring documentation: an eviction notice, a caseworker letter, or a police report in cases of domestic violence. The more complete your file, the faster the review.
How and Where to Apply
There’s no single portal. Where you start depends on which program fits.
- SRAP: You can’t apply directly. Ask your DHSS or DSCYF caseworker about a referral.
- DSHA programs: Check destatehousing.com for current programs and application links. Availability shifts as funding cycles open and close.
- Nonprofits and community organizations: Call Delaware 211 (dial 2-1-1) or search the online directory to find rental deposit assistance providers in your county. Housing Alliance Delaware’s centralized intake line at 1-833-346-3233 can also connect you to what’s currently available.
Most programs begin with a short pre-screening, either an online questionnaire or a phone call, to confirm basic eligibility before you assemble the full documentation package. Some agencies require a financial counseling session before approval. Processing runs from a few days at well-funded nonprofits to several weeks at state agencies, so apply as early as you can. Many programs work first-come, first-served, and funding can run out within days of becoming available.
If one program denies you, apply to others. Eligibility rules differ enough that a rejection from SRAP doesn’t mean a community group can’t help. Keep copies of everything you submit. You’ll reuse the same documents across applications, and replacing lost paperwork adds time you probably don’t have.
A Note on Paying With Assistance Funds
Delaware’s Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from refusing to rent based on “source of income,” a term the statute defines to include any lawful income paid directly, indirectly, or on behalf of a renter, including government assistance, grants, and loan programs.7Delaware Code Online. Title 6, Chapter 46 Fair Housing Act So a landlord who accepts your application and then rejects you solely because the deposit is coming from SRAP or a nonprofit grant may be violating state law.
There is a limit worth knowing about. Delaware law does not require a landlord to participate in voucher programs like Section 8. A landlord can decline to enroll in a government program that imposes inspection or compliance requirements, even though refusing a tenant because of where their money comes from is illegal.7Delaware Code Online. Title 6, Chapter 46 Fair Housing Act If you believe a landlord has discriminated against you based on source of income, you can file a complaint with the Delaware Division of Human Relations.