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SPONSOR: Sen. Hansen & Sen. Richardson & Rep. K. Johnson &
Rep. D. Short
Sens. Brown, Buckson, Cruce, Hocker, Hoffner,
Huxtable, Lawson, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee,
Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Poore, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon,
Townsend, Walsh, Wilson; Reps. Berry, Gorman,
Lambert, Morrison, Snyder-Hall
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE BILL NO. 292
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 25 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE LANDLORD-TENANT CODE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
1 Section 1. Amend § 5102, Title 25 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and
2 insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
3 § 5102. Exclusions from application of this Code.
4 The following arrangements are not intended to be governed by this Code, unless created solely to avoid such
5 application: Code:
6 (1) Residence at an institution, whether public or private, where such residence that is merely incidental to
7 detention or to the provision of medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious or similar services, including (but
8 not limited to) prisons, student services or programs provided by any of the following:
9 a. A facility operated by a health care provider licensed under § 7971 of Title 29.
10 b. Student housing provided and operated by a college or school, old-age homes, nursing homes, homes
11 for unwed mothers, monasteries, nunneries and hospitals. school, including an institution of higher education.
12 c. An institution under the control of the Department of Correction.
13 d. A monastery or convent.
14 (2) Residence by a member of a fraternal organization organization, as defined in § 2593 of Title 6, in a
15 structure operated for the benefit of the organization.
16 (3) Residence in Transient lodging provided by a hotel, motel, cubicle hotel or other similar lodgings. tourist
17 home, as “hotel”, “motel”, and “tourist home” are defined in § 6101 of Title 30.
18 Section 2. Amend Chapter 55, Title 25 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and
19 insertions as shown by underline as follows:
20 § 5512A. Rules and regulations relating to reentry funds.
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21 (a)(1) The requirements under this section apply if money from any of the following is used to pay all or part of a
22 tenant’s rent:
23 a. The Bureau of Community Corrections Special Services Fund under § 6533(g) of Title 11.
24 b. The Justice Reinvestment Fund for Reentry Services under § 1387(b) of Title 4.
25 c. Any other appropriation of state money for which eligibility is based on an individual’s need for
26 housing after release from the custody of the Department of Correction or the Department of Services for
27 Children, Youth and Their Families.
28 (2) For purposes of this section, “fund” means a source under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
29 (b)(1) The person responsible for payments from a fund under subsection (a) of this section must give a landlord
30 all of the following:
31 a. An explanation of the requirements under this section.
32 b. Information necessary to contact the fund, including a phone number and mailing address.
33 c.1. The model discharge plan.
34 2. The Department of Health and Social Services, in consultation with the Department of Justice,
35 shall develop the model discharge plan for use under this section.
36 (2) The information required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section must be provided to the landlord in
37 writing, with or before making the first payment under subsection (a) of this section.
38 (c) Before a lease can be terminated under § 5502 or § 5513 of this title, the landlord must do all of the following
39 in regard to the tenant for whom funding is received under subsection (a) of this section:
40 (1) Assist the tenant in completing a discharge plan that includes shelter or housing.
41 (2) Provide notice that the tenant’s lease is being terminated as follows:
42 a. To the person making payments from the fund under subsection (b) of this section.
43 b. If the landlord knows that the tenant is under the supervision of the Department of Correction, to the
44 Department of Correction and the local law enforcement agency.
45 (d) The contents of a complaint under § 5707 or § 5708 of this title must include a brief statement of how the
46 landlord has complied with the requirements under subsection (c) of this section, including a copy of all required notices.
47 (e)(1)a. If a landlord fails to comply with the requirements under subsection (c) of this section, the landlord is
48 debarred from receiving payments from any fund under subsection (a) of this section for 1 year.
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49 b. The period of debarment under paragraph (e)(1)a. of this section begins the day after the person
50 responsible for payments from that fund determines that the landlord failed to comply with the requirements under
51 subsection (c) of this section.
52 (2) Within 5 days of determining that a landlord has failed to comply with the requirements under subsection
53 (c) of this section, the person responsible for payments under paragraph (b)(1) of this section must provide written
54 notice of the landlord’s debarment to all of the following:
55 a. That landlord.
56 b. Each fund under subsection (a) of this section.
57 c. Each tenant of that landlord who is receiving rental assistance from that fund.
58 (3) Within 5 days of receiving a notice under paragraph (e)(2)b. of this section, the person responsible for
59 payments must provide notice of the landlord’s debarment to each tenant of that landlord who is receiving assistance
60 from the fund.
61 (4) The notice to a tenant under paragraph (e)(2)c. or paragraph (e)(3) of this section must include the date
62 that payments from the fund for that tenant’s rent will cease and the tenant’s options under subsection (f) of this
63 section.
64 (f) If a landlord is debarred from receiving payments under subsection (e) of this section, the tenant is not
65 responsible for share of the rent that was paid by the fund and may do any of the following:
66 (1) Continue the tenancy through the current rental agreement without payments from the fund. If the tenant
67 continues the tenancy, the amount of rent is equal to the amount of the tenant’s share of the rent, calculated by
68 subtracting the amount paid by the fund from the total rent under the rental agreement.
69 (2) Provide written notice that the tenant is terminating the lease. The effective date of a tenant’s lease
70 termination under this paragraph (f)(1) effective may be any of the following:
71 a. Immediate.
72 b. No less than 30 days and no more than 60 days from the first day of the next month following the date
73 of the notice. A tenant who provides notice under this paragraph (f)(2)b. may subsequently terminate the lease
74 immediately.
75 (g) A violation of this section shall be deemed an unlawful practice under § 2513 of Title 6 and a violation of
76 subchapter II of Chapter 25 of Title 6.
77 Section 3. Amend § 5141, Title 25 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and
78 insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
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79 § 5141. Definitions.
80 For purposes of Part III of this title:
81 (19) “Landlord-Tenant Code” or “this Code” means the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code under Part III of
82 this title.
83 Section 4. Amend § 5512, Title 25 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and
84 insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:
85 § 5512. Rules and regulations relating to certain buildings; landlord remedies.
86 (a) This section applies to rental agreements for the rental of single rooms in a building if all of the following
87 apply:
88 (1) The building is the primary residence of the landlord.
89 (2) No more than 3 rooms in the building are rented to tenants.
90 (3) No more than 3 tenants occupy the building.
91 (4) Section 5512A of this title does not apply. Any
92 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Landlord-Tenant Code (Chapters 51 through 59 of this title) to the
93 contrary notwithstanding, written Code, a rental agreements agreement for the rental of a single rooms room in certain
94 buildings in a building under subsection (a) of this section may be terminated and a landlord may bring a proceeding for
95 possession as follows:
96 (1) Under a written rental agreement, immediately upon notice to the tenant for a tenant’s material violation of
97 a regulation which has been that was given to a the tenant at the time of contract or lease, and in cases where lease.
98 (2) If there is no written lease, either 15 days after written notice to the tenant of a breach of the covenant of
99 quiet enjoyment of or similar conduct, conduct or 30 days after written notice for any other reason, reason. and the
100 landlord shall be entitled to bring a proceeding for possession where:
101 (1) The building is the primary residence of the landlord; and
102 (2) No more than 3 rooms in the building are rented to tenants; and
103 (3) No more than 3 tenants occupy such building.
104 Section 5. (a) This Act takes effect 6 months after its enactment into law.
105 (b) Section 5512A of Title 25 applies to rental agreements entered into on or after [the effective date of this Act].
106 Section 6. This Act is known as “The Grace Peterson Act”.
SYNOPSIS
This Act requires that when all or part of the tenant’s rent is paid from a state fund for reentry services, a landlord
must assist the tenant in completing a discharge plan to attempt to provide a warm handoff before terminating the tenant’s
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lease. This Act also closes a loophole in existing law that allows unlicensed or uncertified operators of residential housing
to claim exemption from the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, including the procedural requirements for an eviction.
Existing laws prohibit someone from losing their housing without notice because
• A landlord must comply with the notice and judicial procedure under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, Part
III, Title 25.
• Licensed health care providers must provide discharge planning before an individual is required to leave a
residential treatment program under § 1127, § 5161, and § 3004J of Title 16.
• Certified recovery homes must make a reasonable effort to connect a resident with appropriate services when
terminating the resident’s admission agreement under § 2206A of Title 16.
Section 1 of this Act closes a loophole in current law that allows some landlords to claim their tenants are
excluded under § 5102(1) of Title 25 from the protections required before eviction under the Residential Landlord-Tenant
Code without being required to provide discharge planning or connecting the resident with appropriate services. This Act
revises 3 of the exclusions by using the modern terms and where possible, the applicable licensing law for this State, to
prevent housing providers from claiming exclusion from the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code even if the provider is not
licensed or certified to provide services. This Act does not apply to or revise the exclusions to the Residential Landlord-
Tenant Code under paragraphs (4) through (6) of § 5102 of Title 25, including the existing exclusion for certified recovery
houses.
Section 2 of this Act creates new requirements under § 5512A of Title 25 if all or part of a tenant’s rent is paid
using money from a State reentry fund. Before or with the first payment, the person responsible for payments from the fund
must provide the landlord with an explanation of these requirements, contact information, and the model discharge plan.
The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), in consultation with the Department of Justice (DOJ), must create a
model discharge plan. Then, before terminating the tenant’s lease, the landlord must assist the individual in creating a
discharge plan that includes shelter or housing and provide notice that the tenant’s lease is being terminated as follows:
• To the person making rent payments from the fund.
• If the landlord knows that the tenant is under the supervision of the Department of Correction, to the Department
of Correction and the local law enforcement agency.
If a landlord fails to comply with the discharge planning and notice requirements, the landlord is debarred from
receiving payments from any State reentry fund for 1 year. If the landlord is receiving payments from a State reentry fund
for any other tenants, those tenants are not responsible for the share of the rent that was paid by the fund and have the
option to do any of the following:
• Continue the tenancy without payments from the fund. If the tenant chooses to continue their tenancy, the
amount of their rent becomes the tenant’s share of the rent, calculated by subtracting the amount paid by the fund from the
total rent under the rental agreement.
• Terminate the lease immediately.
• Terminate the lease with 30 to 60 days notice.
These requirements are enforceable by the Department of Justice and also by the Justice of the Peace Court,
because the contents of an eviction complaint must include a brief statement of compliance with the requirements under §
5512A(c) and copies of all required notices.
Section 3 of this Act is a technical clarification to clarify that “this Code” and “Landlord-Tenant Code” both refer
to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code under Part III of this title. Both “this Code” and “Landlord-Tenant Code” are used
throughout Chapter 51 through Chapter 59 of Title 25 as abbreviations of the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code and under
§ 101 of Title 1, “this Code” could also refer to the entire Delaware Code.
Section 4 of this Act makes the new requirements for reentry funds under § 5512A of Title 25 applicable to the
rental of single rooms in owner-occupied buildings under § 5512 of Title 25. Section 4 also reorganizes the existing
language in § 5512 because as 1 sentence, the current language is difficult to understand.
This Act takes effect 6 months after enactment to provide time for DHSS and DOJ to develop the model discharge
plan and for agencies, including the Department of Correction and local law enforcement agencies, to develop policies and
procedures necessary to implement and respond to notification under these requirements. The new requirements under §
5512A of Title 25 apply to rental agreements entered into on or after the effective date of this Act.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative
Drafting Manual.
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This Act is known as “The Grace Peterson Act”.
Author: Senator Hansen
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