Lilly Highlights Emergency Rental Assistance for Families

CHICAGO – State Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is drawing attention to the opening of the application period for the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s (IHDA) Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program.

“The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widespread and it has put thousands of families at risk of losing their homes,” Lilly said. “That’s why I fought to help keep families in their homes by supporting nearly $400 million in housing assistance for Illinoisans.”

The ERA program will help tenants unable to pay their rent due to a loss of income from COVID-19. Tenants are eligible to receive a one-time grant of $5,000 paid to their landlord in order to cover missed rent payments from March until December, or until the grant amount is exhausted.

Applications for the ERA program are scheduled to remain open through Aug. 21, but high volume may result in the application window closing early. Applications must be submitted online at era.ihda.org, but assistance is available for people without internet access through local organizations. To find the closest community assistance organization, potential applicants can call the IHDA hotline at 888-252-1119 or 312-883-2720.

“We can’t have economic recovery from the pandemic without having stable housing for Illinois families,” Lilly said. “The rental assistance program will go a long way towards keeping Illinois families in their homes and providing relief for tenants who are vulnerable to eviction through no fault of their own.”