State Senator Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles) wants to let his constituents know that the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has delayed the reopening of the Illinois Rental Payment Program to Monday, Dec. 6. Applications will now be accepted beginning Monday, Dec. 6 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan 9 at illinoishousinghelp.org.
Tenant eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Household lives in Illinois and rents their home as their primary residence.
- Household must have experienced a financial hardship directly or indirectly due to the pandemic.
- Household income is below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), adjusted for household size.
- Household must have an unpaid rent balance.
- Proof of citizenship is not required.
- Tenants residing in state-or-federally-subsidized housing are eligible to apply
The portal was originally scheduled to reopen on Monday, Nov. 8. While the date for the program reopening is now delayed, money from this round will still be distributed to approved Illinoisans before the end of the year as originally scheduled.
For renters who are in need of immediate assistance, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is currently accepting applications for rental assistance. Households looking for assistance should contact an IDHS Service Provider Agency to ask about rental assistance. Provider Agencies will help you determine if you are eligible and help you apply for rental assistance. A list of Provider Agencies, as well as organizations helping with utility bills, free legal aid, and additional services can be found at www.illinoisrentalassistance.org/.
For additional information or assistance, please call Senator DeWitte’s office at (847) 214-8245.