Back to Delaware

HCR74 • 2025

ESTABLISHING THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE.

Budget Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Harris
Last action: 2025-06-30
Official status: Passed 6/30/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill passed both chambers, but no effective date is listed in the source material.

Creating a Group to Study a New State Housing Department

This resolution creates an eight-member task force to study how Delaware could create a new state department for housing and report its findings by April 9, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Housing Department Task Force to study creating a new Department of Housing.
Requires the group to review current roles of non-profit housing organizations and their needs.
Asks the task force to propose which divisions, agencies, staff, and programs should move into or be created in the new department.
Sets rules for how members are appointed, how meetings run, and who can attend as experts.
Requires a final report with findings and recommendations by April 9, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

State Senators and Representatives serving on the task force
Leaders of state agencies including the Delaware State Housing Authority, Health and Social Services, Office of Management and Budget, and local housing authorities in Dover, Newark, and Wilmington.
The Governor and all members of the General Assembly who will receive the final report

Terms To Know

Task Force: A temporary group created to study a specific issue and make recommendations.
Designee: A person chosen by an official member to attend meetings in their place with the same rights and duties as the member.

Limits and Unknowns

The resolution does not create a new Department of Housing; it only creates a group to study if one should be made.
The text states that support staff will be provided but does not list specific funding amounts for the task force.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SA 1

1 • Hoffner

Stricken 6/30/25

Plain English: This amendment changes a number in the bill and officially adds two new groups as members of the housing department task force.

It replaces the number '8' with the number '9' on line 13 of the original resolution.
It adds the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (or their representative) to the list of task force members.

The official amendment text only lists one new member, but the synopsis claims it also adds the Community Legal Aid Society; since this group is not in the actual legal text provided, its inclusion cannot be confirmed.
This amendment was officially removed from consideration on June 30, 2025.

SA 2

2 • Hoffner

Passed 6/30/25

Plain English: This amendment changes a number in the bill from 8 to 9 and officially adds the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as a member of the housing task force.

The text on line 13 is changed so that the number '8' becomes '9'.
A new rule is added after line 23 to include the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (or their representative) as a task force member.

The amendment text does not explain what specific duties or powers this new member will have on the task force.
It is unclear if adding this department changes how many total members are allowed on the group, since only one number was changed without further context.

Bill History

2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment SA 1 to HCR 74 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment SA 1 to HCR 74 - Stricken in Senate
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment SA 2 to HCR 74 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Passed In House by Voice Vote
2025-06-26 Delaware General Assembly
Passed In House by Voice Vote
2025-06-25 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Housing) in House with 7 On Its Merits
2025-06-24 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Housing Committee in House

Official Summary Text

ESTABLISHING THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE.
This House Concurrent Resolution establishes the Housing Department Task Force.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Harris & Sen. Hoffner

Rep. Bush

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 74

ESTABLISHING THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE.

WHEREAS, the Delaware State Housing Authority alone is not sufficient to meet the housing needs of the more than 1 million residents of the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, neighboring states have established housing departments to meet the needs of their constituents and to advocate for affordable housing; and

WHEREAS, there is an understanding that efforts to make housing more affordable for Delawareans should be elevated and consolidated into a new Department; and

WHEREAS, a Delaware Department of Housing will have the independence and authority necessary to coordinate efforts in making affordable housing a reality

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the Housing Department Task Force (“Task Force”) is established to study and make findings and recommendations regarding the establishment and responsibilities of a new Department of Housing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force be composed of 8 members as follows:

(1) A State Senator from the Majority Caucus, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who shall serve as Co-Chair of the Task Force.

(2) A State Representative from the Majority Caucus, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall serve as Co-Chair of the Task Force.

(3) A State Senator from the Minority Caucus, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(4) A State Representative from the Minority Caucus, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(5) The Director of the Delaware State Housing Authority or the Director’s designee.

(6) The Secretary of Health and Social Services or the Secretary’s designee.

(7) The Controller General or the Controller General’s designee.

(8) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget or the Director’s designee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force must do all of the following:

(1) Review and propose the role of DSHA in relation to the new Department of Housing.

(2) Review how the Dover, Newark and Wilmington Housing Authorities could interact with the new Department of Housing.

(3) Review the current roles of non-profit housing organizations and their needs in relation to the new Department of Housing.

(4) Review and propose what divisions, agencies and other governmental bodies should be moved to and created in the new Department of Housing.

(5) Review and propose which existing housing programs should be migrated into the new Department of Housing.

(6) Review and propose the total staff that should be budgeted for the new Department of Housing.

(7) Review and propose a timeline for the creation of a new Department of Housing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a quorum of the Task Force is a majority of the Task Force’s members.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that:

(1) Official action by the Task Force, including making findings and recommendations, requires the approval of a majority of the Task Force’s members.

(2) The Task Force may adopt rules necessary for its operation. If the Task Force does not adopt rules or if the adopted rules do not govern a given situation, Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure governs.

(3) The co-chairs of the Task Force may invite individuals with relevant expertise to participate in Task Force discussions.

(4) A member of the Task Force with the ability to designate another individual to attend a Task Force meeting must provide the designation in writing to the co-chairs. An individual attending a meeting for a member as a designee has the same duties and rights as the member.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the co-chairs of the Task Force are responsible for guiding the administration of the Task Force by doing, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Setting a date, time, and place for the initial organizational meeting.

(2) Notifying the individuals who are members of the Task Force of the formation of the Task Force and, if applicable, notifying a person of the need to nominate or appoint a member.

(3) Supervising the preparation and distribution of meeting notices, agendas, minutes, correspondence, and reports of the Task Force.

(4) Sending to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Director of the Division of Legislative Services of Legislative Council, after the first meeting of the Task Force, the names of the members of the Task Force as follows:

a. By position, including if serving as a designee of a member serving by virtue of position.

b. By appointment, including the entity the member represents.

(5) Providing meeting notices, agendas, and minutes to the Director of the Division of Legislative Services of the Legislative Council.

(6) Ensuring that the final report of the Task Force is submitted to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with copies to all members of the General Assembly, the Governor, the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Legislative Services of Legislative Council, and the Delaware Public Archives.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force must hold its first meeting no later than September 19th, 2025.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly is responsible for providing reasonable and necessary support staff, including a legislative attorney, and materials for the Task Force to carry out its mission.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that that the co-chairs of the Task Force must compile a final report containing a summary of the Task Force’s work regarding the issues assigned to it under this Concurrent Resolution, including any findings and recommendations, and submit the final report no later than April 9th, 2026.

SYNOPSIS

This House Concurrent Resolution establishes the Housing Department Task Force.