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Illinois

These resources – like the public health crisis itself – are constantly evolving and are only current as to the date of publication. This page was last updated on August 24, 2020.

For more up-to-date information on the relief programs available in Illinois, we recommend that you visit the state's Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response portal.

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Description of Program and Relief

Residential Emergency Mortgage Assistance

Description of Program and Relief

The Emergency Mortgage Assistance, or EMA program, provides grants of up to $15,000 for residential mortgage assistance. If an application is approved, the grant will be sent directly to the applicant’s mortgage servicer to be applied against their mortgage. The grant proceeds can cover missed mortgage payments beginning as early as March 2020 and prepay mortgage payments through December 2020, or until the $15,000 is exhausted. Assistance may cover escrowed first mortgage expenses, including property taxes and insurance, but will not pay for homeowners’ association or special assessment fees. Approximately 10,000 homeowners are expected to receive funding.

Government or Lead Agency

Illinois Housing Development Authority

Dates Available

Applications are now available here.

Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions

Information on eligibility requirements can be found here. To be eligible, an applicant must have unpaid mortgage payments beginning sometime after March 1, 2020, and they or an adult member of their household must have had a loss of income due to COVID-19. The mortgage must have been current through February 2020. The applicant’s household income before March 1, 2020, must also be less than a certain threshold (which varies by area). The mortgage must be in a first lien/mortgage position, and have a balance of $425,000 or less, and the property must be either one or two units, and serve as the applicant’s primary residence. Only one application per household is permitted.

Application Deadlines (If Applicable)

Applications are set to close on September 4—but may close early due to high volume

Contact for More Information

312-883-2720

888-252-1119 (toll-free)

877-274-4309 (TTY)

List of Additional Information

https://ema.ihda.org/

https://ema.ihda.org/uploads/FAQ.pdf

https://ema.ihda.org/uploads/How-to.pdf


© 2021 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. This does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. In some jurisdictions, this publication may be considered attorney advertising. Past representations are no guarantee of future outcomes.

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