The State announced that the application portal is now open for another $297 million of rental assistance for Illinoisans who lost income because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illinois Rental Payment Program, or ILRPP, money comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in March. It will be administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority. The application portal is available at illinoishousinghelp.org.
To be eligible, a tenant must have an unpaid rent balance on a rental property that is their primary residence. They must have experienced a financial hardship because of the pandemic, have a household income below 80% of the Area Median Income and must be an Illinois resident. Proof of citizenship is not required, and assistance is available for renters of state- or federally subsidized housing.
The portal for the latest round of funding will be open until 11:59 p.m. Jan. 9. IHDA said it expects that 32,500 households will receive assistance through this round of funding. Approved applicants will receive onetime grants of up to $25,000, paid directly to their landlords on their behalf, and IHDA said it would begin releasing funding by the end of the year. Rent owed from June 2020 through April 2022 is eligible for repayment, with renters able to receive up to 15 months of back rent and three months of future rent. If a landlord chooses not to participate in the program, tenants may be able to receive payments directly, according to IHDA.
A renter may still apply if they have previously received federal rental assistance, but they cannot cumulatively receive more than 18 months of assistance. IHDA said it would adjust grant amounts for those who have already received partial assistance. IHDA said it would prioritize households earning less than 50% of the area median income and those that have one or more members who have been unemployed for at least 90 days. The state also is preparing to launch a Homeowner Assistance Fund program to distribute federal resources for mortgage assistance in the spring. Information on that program is also available at illinoishousinghelp.org, where those seeking mortgage assistance can sign up for a mailing list for program updates when they are available.
*Source: Daily Chronicle/Daily-Chronicle.com • Tuesday, Dec 7, 2021 | Jerry Nowicki
