2021 Illinois Rental Payment Program

By Neal Waltmire

The Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP) is now open! For program information, FAQs and to apply, please visit www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org.

If you are a tenant or a landlord and have applied to receive ILRPP assistance during the May-July 2021 application periods, you can check the status of your application at ilrpp.ihda.org/status. For other questions about ILRPP, you may reach the call center at 866-454-3571 or via email at Questions.ILRPP@ihda.org.

On Monday, December 6 and going forward, the ILRPP Call Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

How to Apply

The ILRPP application is a joint application between the tenant and the landlord. Both the tenant and landlord may complete their online application by visiting the ILRPP Application Portal and completing the pre-eligibility questionnaire, creating an ILRPP account, and providing the required information and documents. Applicants are encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and list of required documents available at www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org prior to starting their application. There is no requirement for either the tenant or the landlord to complete their application before the other.

When complete, applications from the tenant and landlord will be paired and reviewed for eligibility. You will be contacted by IHDA via DoNotReplyILRPP2@ihda.org if further information is required.

For tenants or landlords with barriers to accessing the online application, Housing Stability Service (HSS) Providers are standing by to help. Contact IHDA’s ILRPP call center at 1-866-IL-HELP1 (866-454-3571) to be connected with an available HSS provider or visit www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org.

Program Information

Tenants are eligible to receive a one-time grant of up to $25,000 paid directly to their landlord on their behalf. However, if the landlord chooses not to complete their application, tenants may receive ILRPP payments directly. Grant amounts will vary and will be matched to the tenant’s specific need.

Assistance will cover up to 18 months of emergency rental payments, including up to 15 months of missed rent payments and up to three months of future rent payments. Rent owed from June 2020 through April 2022 may be paid for with ILRPP funds.

Please note that households that received federal rental assistance previously may not receive more than 18 months of total assistance, regardless of the source of the assistance provided. In addition, the combined assistance received from the Illinois Rental Payment Program may not exceed a total of $25,000. Finally, households that received emergency rental payment assistance previously may not receive further ILRPP payments for those same months.

For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org.

Eligibility Requirements

Illinois tenants may be eligible to receive ILRPP assistance if:

  • The household is at risk of homelessness or housing instability (i.e. household received a past due rent or eviction notice).
    • The household lives in Illinois and rents their home as their primary residence.
    • The household is a low-income family (meaning those families whose incomes do not exceed 80% of the median income for the area, adjusted for household size, as determined by HUD). Find your county’s income limits here.
    • 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 available to all eligible renters in Illinois regardless of immigration status. ILRPP assistance is not a “public charge” benefit.

For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org.

Documentation Requirements

  • Housing Providers/Landlords
    • Government-issued photo ID regardless of expiration date
    • Evidence of past-due rent
    • Evidence of ownership (copy of 2020 property tax bill or 2021 monthly mortgage statement)
    • Current signed lease (if available)
    • Fully executed and current property management agreement (if payment is made to a property manager)Tenants
  • Tenants/Renters
    • Government-issued photo ID regardless of expiration date
    • A utility bill or proof of address dated 90 days prior to the application (if the address on your ID is not your current address)
    • Proof of household income
    • Proof of past-due rent
    • Proof of public assistance (if applicable)
    • Recertification of income (if applicable)

For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org.

Important ILRPP Links

  • What should I do if I think someone is submitting false information to IHDA in connection with the Illinois Rental Payment Program?
    • IHDA takes all allegations of fraud seriously. If anyone has reason to believe someone is
      providing fraudulent information in an attempt to obtain emergency rental assistance, please
      visit ilrpp.ihda.org/Application/ReportFraud and provide as much detail as possible so that IHDA can promptly investigate the matter.

For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit www.IllinoisHousingHelp.org