Deadline Extended For Illinois’ Coronavirus Rent Relief Program

ILLINOIS — State officials are giving Illinois renters an extra week to apply for a $5,000 grant to help cover their housing costs during the coronavirus pandemic after hundreds of thousands of people were left without power last week.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday extended the deadline to apply for the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Emergency Rental Assistance program from Aug. 21 to Aug. 28. The deadline was pushed back one week due to the strong storms that tore through parts of Illinois Aug. 10, officials said.

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"With over 750,000 Illinoisans losing power as a result of the strong derecho that swept across northern Illinois a week ago, it's important we provide additional time to file and complete application for assistance," IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust said in a news release.

Landlords will be given until Aug. 30 to complete their portions of renters’ applications, the release states.

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The IHDA's $150 million Emergency Rental Assistance program is expected to help about 30,000 renters across the state. To be eligible for a grant from the program, renters must have an unpaid rent balance that started after March 1, according to the IHDA.

Renters, or an adult member of their households, also must have lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic — whether they lost their jobs or had their hours reduced — and earn less than the maximum amount allowed for their area.

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Renters can apply for emergency assistance if their income before the coronavirus pandemic was less than 80 percent of the median income of a four-person household in their area, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Landlords must be willing to participate in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program for renters' grant applications to be considered.

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The IHDA will send $5,000 checks to the landlords of renters whose applications are approved. That money will be used to pay off any rent-related debts, with any remaining money to be put toward future rent payments in 2020, officials have said.

Renters in Illinois can get help with their applications from 62 community and outreach organizations chosen by state officials to assist applicants through the process.