State · LIHTC 2026
LIHTC in Delaware: 2026 allocations, QAP and data
Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) allocates Delaware's housing tax credits. The population-based part of Delaware's 2026 9% credit ceiling, before carryforwards and returned credits, is $3,953,600. That is the small-state minimum: 1,059,952 residents times $3.416 would give only $3,620,796. Its 2026 private activity bond cap is the $397,625,000 minimum, and every 4% deal in the state needs a share of it.
Agency and qualified allocation plan
| Allocating agency | Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) |
|---|---|
| Tax credit program page | DSHA LIHTC page |
| Current QAP | State of Delaware Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan 2025-2026 (2025-2026) |
| QAP status | Adopted Jan 3, 2025; updated Jan 7, 2026. No 2027 QAP or draft found on the LIHTC page. |
Agency and QAP links checked 2026-10-30.
2026 credit ceiling and bond cap
| Item | 2026 | Per resident |
|---|---|---|
| Population (IRS Notice 2026-22) | 1,059,952 | 46th of 52 |
| 9% ceiling, population amount | $3,953,600 | $3.73 |
| Formula | greater of $3.416 × pop or $3,953,600 | minimum applies |
| Private activity bond cap | $397,625,000 | $375.13 |
| Formula | greater of $135 × pop or $397,625,000 | minimum applies |
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 secs. 4.08 and 4.19 (the 9% amounts already include the 12% increase from Pub. L. 119-21 sec. 70422); IRS Notice 2026-22 (2026-15 I.R.B.). Computed by us and rounded to the dollar; agencies may round differently.
Delaware is one of 13 jurisdictions (8 states, DC and the four insular areas) that receive the same $3,953,600 minimum, so its credits per resident ($3.73) are above the $3.416 national rate. See every state side by side on the 2026 ceilings and bond caps table.
Basis boost areas: 2027 QCTs and DDAs
HUD's 2027 lists, which apply from January 1, 2027, put 35 Delaware census tracts in qualified census tracts, spread across 3 counties. 1 nonmetropolitan county is a difficult development area. No ZIP code area is a 2027 Small Area DDA. A building in either can take 130% of eligible basis. Check an address with the QCT and DDA lookup.
| County | 2027 QCT tracts |
|---|---|
| New Castle County | 26 |
| Kent County | 5 |
| Sussex County | 4 |
Nonmetro DDA counties: Sussex County.
Every Delaware qualified census tract, with its population, poverty rate and median income, is on the Delaware QCT list by county.
Source: HUD 2027 QCT and DDA designations, FR Doc. 2026-20390 (91 FR 63573, Oct. 6, 2026).
Tax credit properties in Delaware
HUD's database lists 157 Delaware properties financed with housing tax credits that the allocating agency still monitors, with 9,745 income-restricted units. The largest city totals are below; see all cities on the Delaware apartments page.
| City | Properties | Restricted units |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 40 | 2,852 |
| Dover | 17 | 1,183 |
| Newark | 12 | 1,038 |
| Seaford | 12 | 672 |
| Milford | 8 | 519 |
| New Castle | 7 | 511 |
| Laurel | 7 | 491 |
| Millsboro | 9 | 480 |
| Georgetown | 6 | 299 |
| Lewes | 7 | 287 |
| County | Properties | Restricted units |
|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 68 | 4,991 |
| Sussex County | 54 | 2,640 |
| Kent County | 35 | 2,114 |
For buyers and lenders: the Delaware Year 15 and Year 30 list shows which of these properties reach the end of the compliance period or the 30-year extended use minimum from 2022 to 2034, by county.
Source: HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024). City pages cover cities with at least five properties; county links go to that county's 2026 income and rent limits.
Financing a LIHTC deal in Delaware
A 9% deal in Delaware competes for DSHA's 2026 ceiling of $3,953,600 (population amount) under the State of Delaware Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan 2025-2026. A 4% deal needs an award from the state's $397,625,000 private activity bond cap: tax-exempt bonds must finance 50% of the aggregate basis of the building and land, or at least 25% if one or more of those bonds, from an issue dated after December 31, 2025, together finance at least 5% of that basis (the 25% bond test, for buildings placed in service in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025). Sites in Delaware's 35 qualified census tracts for 2027 can take the 130% basis boost.
On HUD's records for the 135 Delaware properties on this site's city pages, 0% of those reporting the field were financed with tax-exempt bonds and 83% took 9% (70% present value) credits; 17 received allocations in 2015 or later.
Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32; HUD 2027 QCT list; HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024), bond and credit-type fields. What to read in a QAP: state LIHTC programs. Sizing a Delaware deal: get a financing quote.
State housing tax credit
No state LIHTC found. DSHA's LIHTC page and QAP cover only the federal credit; no state LIHTC found.
More Delaware data
- Delaware 2026 income and rent limitsby county
- Delaware tax credit apartmentsby city
- Delaware QCTs and DDAs2027 lists by county
- Year 15 and Year 30 propertiesby county
- QCT and DDA lookupby address
- Monthly credit ratesIRS
- LIHTC in Connecticutprevious
- LIHTC in District of Columbianext
- All statescompare
Questions people ask
How much 9% LIHTC does Delaware get in 2026?
The population part of Delaware's 2026 housing credit ceiling is $3,953,600: the greater of $3.416 per resident or $3,953,600, applied to the 1,059,952 population in IRS Notice 2026-22. The agency's actual 2026 authority also adds unused and returned credits and any national pool share, so its own published figure can be higher.
Who allocates housing tax credits in Delaware?
Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA). It awards 9% credits under its qualified allocation plan (State of Delaware Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan 2025-2026, 2025-2026) and sets the rules 4% bond deals must meet to receive credits.
Does Delaware have a state low-income housing tax credit?
Not a state LIHTC as of October 2026. DSHA's LIHTC page and QAP cover only the federal credit; no state LIHTC found.
Financing a Delaware tax credit deal?
Construction, bond, bridge-to-equity and permanent debt for Delaware 4% and 9% deals.