Enrollment opens for COVID mortgage relief
State offers $15,000 grants to 10,000 homeowners behind on their loans
A Chicago house on the market. (One Illinois/Ted Cox)
By Ted Cox
Starting Monday, Illinois homeowners have the same shot at COVID-19 housing relief as renters.
The Illinois Housing Development Authority began accepting applications in the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program Monday morning. It follows the Emergency Rental Assistance Program launched two weeks ago by Gov. Pritzker.
The twin programs split $300 million in COVID-19 relief down the middle, delivering $5,000 grants to up to 30,000 renters and $15,000 grants to up to 10,000 homeowners.
Critics, however, have argued that there are many more than 40,000 Illinois families needing help to make their housing payments in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, and that additional relief is necessary.
According to state Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago, who touted the new program in an email to constituents Sunnday, homeowners behind on their mortgage payments due to a loss of income related to the pandemic on or after March 1 can apply for the $15,000 grant, to be applied to the owed balance and ahead on housing payments to the end of the year or the expiration of the full grant, whichever comes first.
Pritzker emphasized two weeks ago that homeowners who’ve already applied for a forbearance on their mortgage should nonetheless apply, as a forbearance only delays mortgage payments.
The Housing Development Authority is accepting applications through its website. According to Harris’s office, applicants must be behind on their mortgage and must document the COVID-related loss of income. Their pre-pandemic income must not exceed 120 percent of the area median income.
Homeowners get a break on that, compared with renters, who were held to a cap of 80 percent of median area income.
The Pritzker administration announced last week, however, that renters were being granted an extra week to enroll in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which will continue to accept applications up to noon Friday. The rental program has a separate enrollment website.
Harris’s office counseled homeowners that “EMA applicants will need to upload their mortgage statement, 2019 tax returns for all borrowers on the mortgage, and a driver’s license or other government issued photo ID. If your current address does not match the one listed on your photo ID, you will need to submit additional proof of address. This includes a utility bill, bank statement, credit/debit card statement, or Social Security award letter, dated within 90 days of your application.”
The Housing Development Authority has formed an alliance with dozens of community groups across the state committed to helping renters and homeowners apply for the grants. The authority is also fielding calls on the programs at (312) 883-2720, or toll-free at (888) 252-1119, while those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired can call (877) 274-4309 (TTY) for toll-free assistance.