Dover, Del. March 18. 2014 – On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, the Delaware Senate confirmed Cynthia Karnai as Delaware’s Housing Cabinet Secretary and the Director of Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA). 

Governor Carney nominated Karnai in February after former director Eugene Young, Jr. announced his resignation at the agency’s Joint Finance Committee Budget hearing. 

Prior to being named Deputy Director in 2022, Karnai served 16-plus years as the agency’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing its operations, and Director of Housing Finance, guiding homeownership and foreclosure prevention.

Since joining DSHA in 2005, her work has focused on promoting homeownership, from managing programs during the height of the housing boom with annual funding of over $420 million to challenging economic times. She launched innovative resources to revitalize Delaware’s housing market, including emergency foreclosure assistance for senior citizens and low-rate mortgage rates for new construction and veterans. She launched the first-time homebuyer federal tax credit in Delaware. As a unique initiative for the agency, Cynthia developed and launched, in 90 days, the Delaware Mortgage Relief Program, the State’s mortgage assistance program for those impacted by COVID-19.

Under Karnai’s leadership, DSHA has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association National Accounting and Financial Reporting Award, received national recognition by the National Council of State Housing Agencies, and received the National Award of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

“Thank you to the members of the Delaware Senate for their votes confirming Cynthia Karnai as Director of the Delaware State Housing Authority,” said Governor Carney. “With her tenure and expertise with the Housing Authority, Cynthia is well positioned to lead the difficult but rewarding work of helping Delawareans obtain safe and stable housing, creating affordable housing options, and strengthening neighborhoods. I appreciate her willingness to continue to serve the First State.”

“I am honored and humbled to serve as the new Director of Delaware State Housing Authority,” said Cynthia Karnai, Director of DSHA. “I’m proud to work with a diverse group of housing experts and look forward to advancing DSHA’s mission.” 

About Delaware State Housing Authority 
The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), formed in 1968, provides quality, affordable housing opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low-and moderate-income Delawareans. In addition to its role as the State’s Housing Finance Agency, DSHA is unique in that it serves as a Public Housing Authority and a Community Development. As a Public Housing Authority, DSHA receives funding from HUD to build, own, and operate public housing in Kent and Sussex counties, two of Delaware’s three counties.