SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Applications open Monday for Illinois residents who’ve been having a hard time paying their rents during the pandemic.
Beginning Monday, the State of Illinois will offer another round of rental payment assistance for tenants who've fallen behind on rent due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), renters who apply for assistance through the Illinois Rental Payment Program's emergency rental assistance portal may be eligible to receive up to 15 months of rental assistance. Through the program, tenants may receive funds to cover 12 months of past due rent and up to three months of future assistance on rent payment, if needed; and that the cap for individual grants is $25,000.
All the money would go directly to the landlords once applications are approved.
The Illinois Department of Housing Assistance said that the criteria to qualify includes:
• Tenants are behind on rent for at least 30 days;
• The house or apartment is located in Illinois and is the renter's primary residence;
• Total gross income for the tenant’s household is less than 80 percent Area Median Income* for that location;
• Household has experienced direct or indirect financial hardship due to the pandemic (examples of hardship given by the IHDA website include being laid off, employer’s business closure, reduction in work hours, loss of spousal/child support, inability to work due to COVID-19, having to stay home to care for children due to school/day care closure, and unable to work at previous job due to the workplace's high risk of severe illness from COVID-19); and
• Tenants are at risk of becoming homeless or facing housing instability.
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