Lisa and James Hutchins purchased the historic William N.W. Dorsey House at 113 N.W. Front Street in Milford in March 2021.  Built in 1840, the house was a post office from 1847 to 1857 and a Clerk of the Peace office in 1863. 

Instead of moving in immediately, Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins rented the home back to the seller while they planned the renovations that would return the house to “period appearance.” Looking for and working with surveyors, architects, structural engineers, and contractors experienced in renovating historic buildings took more than a year.

Before moving to Delaware, James Hutchins was a real estate developer and contractor, and Lisa Hutchins worked in commercial lending, so they knew they might be eligible for government grants that would partially reimburse them for the renovations.  Through their research, they learned about the Downtown Development District (DDD) program, and they placed their first call to the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) early in 2023 to ask preliminary questions before starting the renovations.

In January 2024, after the work on their home was completed, Mrs. Hutchins called again. She talked with DSHA, asking questions about what documents and receipts they would need to submit. DSHA followed up by emailing program guidelines and other information to her.

 On March 6, Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins submitted their DDD application, which Kim Edwards, now Community Development Manager, reviewed and processed.

After contacting Mrs. Hutchins, the next day to get clarification on a few itemized expenses, Kim arranged for their home to be inspected on March 13.  On March 28, Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins received a check for $51,988, 20 percent of their qualified real property investment of $259,942. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins say they were surprised at how quickly their application was processed and accepted, calling their experience working with DSHA “phenomenal.”  Mr. Hutchins adds, “There are no obstacles with this program.”

“The purpose of calling and asking questions was to make their job easier,” Mrs. Hutchins says.  In fact, according to Kim, it did make it easier for her to process their application quickly.  “They submitted their application perfectly,” Kim says.

Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins advise anyone planning to apply for DDD funding to “start the process early and make sure the general contractor is onboard.”  Knowing before renovation work starts how DSHA requires costs to be itemized on the application will save time and increase the likelihood that your application will be accepted, and all allowable expenses will be covered.

“The general contractor is more of a craftsman than an accountant,” says Mr. Hutchins, so they must understand how invoices should be itemized. 

Their positive experience with the DDD program has made Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins enthusiastic supporters.  “Every time I talk to people, I tell them about the DDD program,” says Mrs. Hutchins.

Hoping to convince decision-makers of the program’s value, Mr. and Mrs. Hutchins have hosted state legislators, including Sen. David Wilson and Rep. Charles Postles, at their home to let them see “what the DDD program has done,” says Mr. Hutchins.  He also happily shows anyone interested in the PowerPoint presentation he created documenting their home’s transformation.

“This program has saved the downtowns of Delaware,” says Mr. Hutchins, and he adds, “The spirit of cooperation is great.  It’s palpable.”  “Without the program, this wasn’t economically feasible,” Mr. Hutchins says.  “It’s a valuable program.  Hats off to the state for offering it.”