Illinois Emergency Homeowner
Assistance Fund is now open

It’s FREE to apply to the program Illinois Emergency Homeowner Assistance Fund Program (ILHAF). Any website or individual that asks you to pay to submit an application or for application assistance is not legitimate and should be reported as fraud.

Apply now
Illinois has received approval from the U.S. Department of the Treasury on its Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) program to provide assistance to Illinois homeowners who have struggled to pay their mortgage due to COVID-19. The state is now accepting applications from homeowners for grants of up to $30,000 to eliminate or reduce past-due mortgage and property tax payments.

How to apply

1. Get Informed
Attend an information session hosted by IHDA to learn about the ILHAF application process, program eligibility and other free resources available to help you save your home. See the session schedule below.

2. Explore Your Options
Contact your mortgage servicer or a HUD-certified housing counseling agency to discuss options to prevent foreclosure. A certificate from a HUD-certified housing counselor or a letter from your mortgage servicer detailing efforts to resolve your delinquency will be required to apply for ILHAF assistance.

3. Get Started
Review the Acceptable Documentation list Acceptable Documentation list and be prepared to provide all required documents.

Apply now

Locate an Approved HUD-certified Housing Counselor Near You

Find an approved HUD-certified Housing Counselor near you and contact them for your certificate.

ILHAF Information Sessions

Homeowners are strongly encouraged to either watch the videos on this page or attend a webinar. These sessions will provide a road map for you to follow to make the application process more efficient. Topics will include:

  • Description of loss mitigation
  • Mortgage basics
  • Foreclosure process
  • The ILHAF application process and program eligibility
  • Other free resources available to you, including housing counseling and legal aid

Webinars will be offered in English and Spanish. Check this page for links and instructions to attend sessions at the dates below:

English
Spanish

Up to $30,000 per Household to Pay

  • Delinquent mortgage payments
  • Mortgage reinstatement or other housing-related costs related to a period of forbearance necessitated by the pandemic
  • Delinquent property taxes
  • Delinquent homeowner’s insurance and/or flood insurance
  • Delinquent Homeowner/Condominium/Co-Op Association fees
  • Delinquent mobile home lot rent

Who is eligible?

The Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) is a federally funded program dedicated to assisting homeowners who are at risk of default, foreclosure, or displacement as result of a financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Homeowners with household incomes less than 150% of the Area Median Income
  • Homeowners who own and occupy their property as their primary residence
  • Homeowners who are at least 30 days late on their mortgage or property tax payments.
  • Homeowners who have experienced a financial hardship directly related to COVID-19 that began, continued, or worsened after January 21, 2020

Resources For ILHAF Applicants

Share your ILHAF success story to help others get mortgage assistance!

Learn more