Those needing rental assistance in Illinois were granted a little more time today.
Governor J.B. Pritzker announced this morning, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has extended the deadline for Illinois renters to apply for aid by one week to 12:00 p.m. on August 28th due to those impacted by the storms last Monday.
Landlords will be given an additional two days, through August 30th, to complete their portion of the application.
According to the IHDA, the Emergency Rental Assistance program provides $5,000 to eligible tenants who have seen their household income decline as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust says, it is important they provide the additional time to file, citing the over 750,000 Illinoisans who lost power during last week’s storms. She says many renters and landlords alike, lost power for nearly a week in some areas, prohibiting them from applying for the E.R.A. Program and adding one hardship on top of another.
According to the IHDA, for an application for to be considered complete, landlords are required to submit additional documentation before their application period closes on August 30th.
The IHDA recommends renters be proactive in notifying their landlords they have applied for assistance under the Emergency Rental Assistance program and that they will receive an email from the IHDA inviting them to submit required documentation.
Applications for the emergency Rental Assistance Program can be found at era.ihda.org
Additional help with the application process is available through the IHDA call center toll free at 888-252-1119.
Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can access assistance via TTY service through Navicore Solutions at 877-274-4309.