With the deadline to apply for the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s (IHDA) Emergency Rental Assistance nearing on Friday, Aug. 28, Illinois REALTORS® wants to remind member landlords and tenants that both can benefit by participating.
Tenants who want to participate in the program should contact a community-based organization or the IHDA for help with the online application. The IHDA is available by phone at:
- 888-242-1119 toll free or
- 312-883-2720 in Chicago area.
Tenants chosen to participate in the Emergency Rental Assistance program could:
- show landlords good-faith efforts to pay their debts during the pandemic,
- receive $5,000 in credit for back rent and additional rent due through Dec. 30 and
- receive eviction protection through Dec. 30 or until funds received no longer cover rent owed, whichever is sooner.
Property owners who participate can:
- show support for tenants negatively impacted by COVID-19,
- enhance their reputations with potential future customers and
- receive $5,000 from IHDA for every tenant chosen by IHDA.
Clear up a few misconceptions
While Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s latest Executive Order prevents landlords from evicting tenants, the eviction moratorium is set to expire Sept. 19. The moratorium does not:
- cancel any debt or back rent tenants owe their landlords,
- cancel leases or
- prevent tenants from getting further behind on rent payments as the year goes on.
For more information, check the IHDA Emergency Rental Assistance program’s frequently asked questions.
