Meyer Signs Housing for Every Delawarean Act & Road-De Act, Aimed at Lowering Housing Costs and Speeding Up Permitting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Media Contact:
Jonah Anderson
[email protected]

DOVER, Del. - Governor Matt Meyer today ceremonially signed two major housing and permitting reform laws designed to build more homes faster, reduce costly permitting delays and encourage development in areas already prepared for growth.

Joined by Senator Russ Huxtable, Representative Kendra Johnson, Representative Bill Bush and other state and community leaders at Legislative Hall, Governor Meyer highlighted Senate Bill 23, the Housing for Every Delawarean Act, and House Bill 450, the ROAD-DE Act. Governor Meyer signed both measures into law on July 13. Together, the laws reform how Delaware plans for housing, reviews projects that already comply with local zoning and addresses transportation impacts from new development.

"Delaware needs more affordable housing, more homegrown energy and more good-paying jobs, but we cannot build any of these if projects spend years saddled by permitting delays," said Governor Matt Meyer. "By cutting unnecessary red tape and building in places where the infrastructure already exists, we can lower costs and grow smarter. Our goal is simple: make Delaware a more affordable place to live, work and build a future for you and your family."

"For too long, businesses, housing developments, and infrastructure projects have faced lengthy delays, making it harder to create jobs and meet our housing needs," said Senator Jack Walsh, lead Senate sponsor of HB 450. "With HB 450, we're cutting through red tape, and improving coordination to create a more predictable, transparent, and accountable permitting process that attracts investment, creates jobs, increases housing availability, and strengthens our economy."

"As Delaware continues to struggle with a lack of affordable housing, we need to collaborate with our local governments to drive outcomes that ensure the workers who serve our communities have the chance to live in them," said Senator Russ Huxtable, prime sponsor of SB 23. "The Housing for Every Delawarean Act does just that by giving local governments the tools to plan for balanced communities and boost our stock of diverse, affordable housing types throughout all three counties in our State."

"Delaware is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, but in many cases, our permitting process - particularly for infrastructure projects - hasn't kept pace with that growth," said Rep. Bill Bush. "The ROAD DE Act cuts through some of the delays that have added unnecessary time and cost to projects, while making sure developers help pay for the impact of that growth."

"If we want to ensure that every Delawarean can go to sleep with a roof over their heads, then we need to work collaboratively, with the communities we are serving, and take bold and decisive steps forward. The Housing for Every Delawarean Act does that," said Rep. Kendra Johnson. "I am grateful to Sen. Russ Huxtable and to all of the stakeholders who came to the table and worked together to help shape this legislation and move it forward."

About the Legislation

Senate Bill 23: Housing for Every Delawarean Act
Sponsored by Senator Russ Huxtable and Representative Kendra Johnson, Senate Bill 23 requires counties and municipalities with more than 2,000 residents to incorporate affordable housing plans into their comprehensive plans, with a goal of making 20% of homes affordable. Communities select the tools that make sense for them based on their local needs. The law also establishes administrative, or "by-right," review for residential projects that already comply with local zoning requirements. Counties and municipalities continue to determine where development occurs and establish their own zoning rules.

House Bill 450: ROAD-DE Act
Sponsored in the House by Representative Bill Bush, House Bill 450 reforms Delaware's transportation review process by replacing the existing daily-trip threshold for traffic impact studies with a 500 peak-hour-trip standard and creating a statewide transportation impact fee calibrated by county. Revenue from the fee remains in the county where it is collected. The law also establishes a baseline of four homes per acre for single-family developments in growth areas, exempts Downtown Development Districts from traffic studies and allows the Housing Delaware-financed housing to qualify for transportation impact fee reductions or waivers.

Initial implementation guidance has been released, and the administration has been holding town halls and trainings with local governments as implementation moves forward. By-right review took effect when the laws were enacted, with additional transportation and local implementation requirements taking effect in 2027.

Delaware is short nearly 20,000 affordable homes, while half of renters and 21% of homeowners are struggling to pay their bills. Permitting for new development can also extend beyond two years, adding time and costs to projects before construction begins.

The legislation builds on the Meyer administration's broader efforts to increase housing supply, streamline permitting and promote smart growth by directing new development toward communities with existing infrastructure.

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