Nearly 13 million call Illinois home. Many of the residents will at some point experience a financial hardship that may lead them to need help paying their rent. Those who need help will find that there are numerous programs offering Illinois rental assistance that they can turn to. Apply with the rental assistance programs directly.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – The largest housing assistance agency in the country, HUD is federally funded. The agency offers several programs to help people with their housing needs, including a public housing option weatherization services, and they will help home buyers avoid foreclosure. They will also provide Illinois rental assistance through their voucher program, which allows you to live wherever you want and receive help paying the rent. To qualify for the HUD voucher program in Illinois, you have to meet the low-income requirements.
Illinois Rental Payment Program – This program helps provide people with rental assistance. If you experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic, you might be able to get up to $25,000 in cash and up to 18 months in rental assistance. The program will help with past-due utility bills as well. The $25,000 is a one-time grant that is paid to the landlord for those who are behind on their rental payments and cannot get caught up on their own. The mission is to help keep people from being evicted. To qualify, you have to be a resident of the state and show proof of income and your rental agreement.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) – This program is for those who live in the city of Chicago. The program provides Illinois rental assistance for those who need emergency assistance. If you have received an eviction notice, you may be able to avoid being evicted by getting rental assistance from this program. If you are approved for the program, they will provide the funds directly to the landlord on your behalf. To get assistance, you have to meet the low-income requirements or show that you had lost income during the pandemic.
Illinois Legal Aid Online – This legal organization will provide those with a low income with assistance regarding evictions. They also offer information regarding obtaining rental assistance so that you can avoid eviction. They may be able to help you get up to $25,000 in rental assistance through the state. The program will help people who have fallen behind due to a disruption in their income, whether it was from having their hours reduced or from being unemployed. You will have to have proper identification and rental documentation in order to apply for rental assistance.
City of Bloomington – Those who live in Bloomington may be able to get rental assistance through their program. They are providing one-time grants for those who qualify for the assistance. The grants are $5,000 each and are to be used for making rental payments, including paying past due rent and getting paid ahead. To qualify, you have to meet the low-income requirements. The $5,000 grants are paid directly to the landlord on your behalf. This program can help people avoid being evicted and help them get ahead on the monthly rent.
Illinois Housing Development Authority – This state-run agency can help with providing access to Illinois rental assistance. They have access to rental assistance programs that are available around the state, most of which are run through various housing authority offices. The programs are open to those who meet the low-income requirements and have had a disruption in their income. They can help pay for past due rent and help you get paid up ahead. If you have received an eviction notice, they may be able to help you locate emergency rental assistance so that you avoid being evicted.
Catholic Charities – This non-profit organization can help with emergency and crisis situations, including by providing rental assistance. They also help people with obtaining food, shelter, transportation, and helping to meet other basic needs. If you need immediate rental assistance to avoid an eviction, contact them to inquire about getting help. They have locations around the country, so be sure to contact the one that is closest to where you live. This is a faith-based organization, but you don’t need to be religious to receive help from them. Their services are open to everyone in the community who needs help. Catholic Charities can assist people in a variety of ways.
Salvation Army – This organization helps many people around the country each year. Their programs provide various services, such as giving people boxes of food, hot meals, shelter, clothing, and more. They also have a rental assistance program that will help people to avoid being evicted. They have locations around the country, so you will need to reach out to the one that is closest to you to begin the application process for rental assistance. Many people are familiar with the Salvation Army because they see people ringing the bell and asking for monetary donations each year around Christmas. Those donations go to help support their programs, such as providing Illinois rental assistance. This organization can help with emergency situations, too.