Illinois Emergency Rental Assistance Program Due to Covid-19

The program will provide $5000 grants for emergency rental assistance to Illinois tenants who are unable to pay their rent. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA) is expected to reach 30,000 renters who are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The program will launch in August 2020 and run through the end of the year. The residential eviction ban is expected to run through July 31 to provide a smooth transition into the assistance program. To address housing instability due to COVID-19, renters who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic will be prioritized in the grant process. Eligible tenants must already carry an unpaid rent balance from March through present day and certify the reason they were unable to pay rent was due to COVID-19 related loss of income on or after March 1, 2020. The assistance will be paid directly to a property owner or landlord on behalf of the tenant and a condition of accepting the assistance, landlords must agree not to evict the tenant for the duration of ERA. Assistance will be available on a first come, first approved basis until funds are exhausted. Applications for Emergency Rental Assistance are expected to be available on August 10. If you are interested in receiving updates directly from the State, you can sign up for them at: httsp://www2.illinois.gov/Pages/CommunicationsOptin.aspx The above information is provided in cooperation with Will County Center for Economic Development.

Tom Weigel

County Board Member

District #12 (New Lenox & Mokena)