Yingling Votes to Expand Rent and Mortgage Relief

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – With the COVID-19 pandemic causing financial hardship for residents, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, supported a new law to provide additional assistance to those struggling to pay their rent or mortgage payments.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families are being put in difficult situations with insufficient resources to pay for necessities,” Yingling said. “No one should lose their homes because they are unable to pay rent or make a mortgage payment because of a situation that is completely out of their control.”

Yingling supported Senate Bill 264, which adds $396 million for rent and mortgage relief that will be distributed to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through a variety of programs. $100 million will be reserved for residents in the areas hit hardest by COVID-19.

In Lake County, housing-related expenses such as rent, mortgage, property taxes and utility bills are some of the highest in the country. According to rentdata.org, the fair market rent in 2020 for Cook County and the collar counties, which includes Lake County, is higher than 95% of other areas in the United States. In 2018, Illinois had the second-highest effective property tax rate in the nation, with Lake County having more than double the national average rate, according to an Attom Data Solutions report.

Since entering the General Assembly, Yingling has made reducing housing-related expenses a priority. He was the co-chair of the Property Tax Relief Commission, which proposed a comprehensive overhaul to the property tax system in Illinois. He has also helped pass legislation that provides relief to homeowners by suspending late payment penalties and tax sales.

“Housing costs in Lake County place a massive burden on working families, and have been exacerbated due to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Yingling said. “I will continue to find additional ways to provide residents with the resources and support needed to get past these difficult times, as well as lasting relief for the future.”

Yingling has worked to lower utility bills for constituents by passing legislation that protects consumers from unregulated energy providers using false advertising to trick residents into unnecessarily raising their energy costs. He also frequently hosts Utility Bill Clinics with the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) to help residents identify ways to lower their utility costs. If residents are looking for further assistance, they can contact Yingling’s full-time constituent service office at 847-231-6262.