Yesterday, President Preckwinkle, members of the Board of Commissioners, the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development and the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) announced the launch of a $72.8 million rental and utility assistance program to help suburban Cook County residents experiencing financial and housing insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funded by the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus COVID Relief legislation passed in late 2020, the program pays up to 12 months of missed rent and utility payments and up to 3 months of future rent payments. The program is designed for suburban Cook County renters and landlords. Payments will be made directly to landlords on behalf of tenants and amounts will vary on need, family size, and eligibility.
Residents can review their eligibility and apply for rental assistance at www.cookcountyil.gov/recovery. The application period opened yesterday, March 11 and will close on April 2. Applications are available through the online portal in many languages including Spanish, Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi.