Sangamon Sun

State Sen. Sally Turner (R-Beason) is reminding constituents that rental assistance is available to those who need it.

The 2021 Illinois Rental Payment Program is administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and qualifying tenants are eligible to receive a one-time grant of up to $25,000 to be paid directly to their landlord.

The assistance can cover up to 18 months of emergency rental  payments, including 15 months of payments a tenant may have missed between June 2020 and April 2022.

"The Illinois Housing Development Authority is now accepting applications for rental assistance through the Illinois Rental Payment Program," Turner wrote in a Dec. 6 Facebook post. "Both renters and landlords could qualify for up to $25,000 in assistance. Applications will be accepted through Sunday Jan. 9."

Households cannot receive more than 18 months of total rental assistance. This is important information for families that previously received federal rental assistance.

"Reaffirming Governor Pritzker’s commitment to housing stability and eviction prevention during the pandemic, the Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP) will deploy multiple rounds of funding totaling $1.5 billion to fund two statewide rental assistance programs—nearly 4 times the amount available to our state last year," according to a press release by the Illinois Department of Human Services. "We expect there will be enough funding to help our most vulnerable residents."

Eligible tenants must meet certain requirements to be eligible for ILRPP assistance including: being at risk of homelessness or housing instability, the household must reside in Illinois and rent their primary residence, the household must be considered a low-income family (household income must not exceed 80% of the median income for the area, adjusted for household size, as determined by HUD), and one or more individuals within the household has qualified for unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship during or due, directly or indirectly, to the coronavirus pandemic.

ILRPP assistance is not a “public charge” benefit and is available regardless of renters' immigration status.

Residents can contact the Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP) Call Center at 866-454-3571 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or via email at Questions.ILRPP@ihda.org.