Resources for Renters

Resources for Renters programs

Announcement

Emergency COVID-19 rental assistance programs from the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago offer support for renters facing financial hardship. Application procedures and deadlines vary by program. If you need assistance completing an application, please make an appointment with our team.

GPCC supports Garfield Park tenants and landlords by increasing access to resources and through rental assistance programs.

Rental Assistance Grants

Rental assistance is available on the State and City levels. An overview of available programs can be found on the chicookilrenthelp.org website.

Rental Assistance Overview

We offer support for both the City of Chicago Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) and the Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP). Currently, both the ILRPP and ERAP applications are closed.

Have questions about the status of your application?

Track your ILRPP application at https://ilrpp.ihda.org/status.
Please direct your ILRPP response to questions.ilrpp@ihda.org or 1-866-ILHELP1 (1-866-454-3571).
Check the status of your ERAP application here.

There are still options for rental assistance available. Both the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the City of Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) are open to applicants.

Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD)

CCLAHD offers help with eviction, debt, foreclosure, or tax deed issues.

Call the CCLAHD hotline at 855-956-5763 or visit www.cookcountylegalaid.org to learn how you can get help resolving your housing and debt problems. All services are available at no cost to Cook County residents and landlords regardless of income, language, or immigration status. The hotline is open Monday-Friday from 9:00-4:30.

CCLAHD Resource

Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS):

In order to qualify for Rental Assistance:

You must be a City of Chicago resident.
You must have an email address to apply. If you do not have one, you will need to create one.
Your household income must be at or below 50% of the Area Median Income.

Read about some frequently asked questions on this program.

Apply to DFSS

Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS):

For those who missed the window to apply for assistance through IHDA, the Illinois Department of Human Services is accepting applications for up to $25,000 in rental assistance on a rolling basis through the Illinois Rental Assistance Program.

Contact an IDHS service provider agency in your area. Provider agencies can walk you through the application process and help you apply for this rental assistance program.

IDHS Providers

Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS):

In order to qualify for Rental Assistance:

You must be a City of Chicago resident.
You must have an email address to apply. If you do not have one, you will need to create one.
Your household income must be at or below 50% of the Area Median Income.

Read about some frequently asked questions on this program.

Apply to DFSS

Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS):

Contact an IDHS service provider agency in your area. Provider agencies can walk you through the application process and help you apply for this rental assistance program.

IDHS Providers

Resources for Anyone Facing Eviction:

The State of Illinois eviction moratorium ended on October 3, 2021, but Chicago tenants still have financial and legal options to help them to remain in their homes. Three important points:

Don't self-evict. A notice of eviction from your landlord does not mean you need to leave your home right away. Only the Sheriff can legally remove you from your home.
Get legal help. Free legal assistance is available to Chicago renters. Visit Rentervention.com, which is provided by the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, or other resources listed below.
Get financial help. Visit chicago.gov/eviction for a list of places residents can apply for emergency rental assistance and more information regarding eviction, lockouts, or renters rights.

Additionally, under the COVID 19 Eviction Protection Ordinance, landlords filing evictions due to nonpayment of rent against tenants who have coronavirus-related financial hardships should wait for a seven-day “cooling-off” period in addition to the regular five-day notice period. After the “cooling-off” period, landlords must show the court that they have engaged in good faith efforts to reach a reasonable alternative to eviction, including mediation, payment plans, or other options before an eviction can proceed.

Residential tenants who have lost income as a direct or indirect result of the COVID-19 pandemic should notify their landlords in writing within five days of receiving an eviction notice in order to further protect themselves from eviction.

Cook County Legal Aid

Free legal assistance for residents of Cook County, including eviction or unresolved debt issues, and unpaid property tax concerns. Learn more at cookcountylegalaid.org.

Eviction Help Illinois

Free legal help for Illinois residents who are renters facing potential eviction and landlords not represented by a lawyer. Learn more at evictionhelpillinois.org.

Rentervention

Rentervention is a resource for Chicago tenants in need of help with housing issues, like lockouts or evictions. This is a Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing program. It is free and confidential. You can contact them by going to their website, calling 312-347-7600, or text “hi” to 866-7RENTER (866-773-6837).

Center for Conflict Resolution

The center provides court-based mediation in virtual eviction courtrooms in the following locations: Daley Center, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview, and Markham. A court case is not required to access mediation. Clients can also self-refer outside of the court process. Contact CCR’s case management team at 312-922-6464 x22 or newcase@ccrchicago.org if you would like to open a mediation case.