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The Housing Site
Illinois Fair Housing Initiative

Affordable Housing

Rental Assistance Resources

The Illinois Rental Housing Support Program

The Illinois Rental Housing Support Program is the nation's largest state rental assistance program. Administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority, this program awards funds to local administering agencies in order to make rental units affordable for households earning less than 30% of the area median income. The agencies will also help determine tenant eligibility and inspect every unit included in the program. Tenants will pay a flat rent of approximately 30% of their income and the local administering agency will pay the balance of the rent negotiated with the landlord. As required by the legislation, a minimum of 10% of the funds will finance new development and half of the funds will be dedicated to affordable housing for people earning less than 15% of the area median income. Local administering agencies will begin accepting applications from potential tenants in the summer of 2007.

Federal Rental Assistance / Section 8

Section 8 is a Federal subsidy program offered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There are two basic types of Section 8 assistance: project-based and tenant-based.

Project-based Section 8: In project-based Section 8, the assistance is tied to the physical apartment unit. For as long as a person resides in a Section 8 unit, he or she will pay no more than 30% of his/her adjusted gross income toward rent. The remainder (the difference between what the tenant pays and the actual rent amount) is paid by the Federal government. When a family moves out of a project-based Section 8 unit, the rental subsidy does not move with them, but is available for the next tenants of that unit.

Tenant-based Section 8 - or the Housing Choice Voucher: This assistance is tied to a particular person, and not to the apartment unit. Housing Choice Vouchers are "portable" or "transferable", meaning once a person is issued a voucher, he or she can potentially use that Voucher anywhere in the country. A Housing Choice Voucher means a household will pay 30% of their income toward rent, and the remainder (the difference between what the tenant pays and the actual rent amount) is paid by the Federal government. When a person is issued a Voucher, he or she must find an apartment in the private rental market that meets housing quality standards and with rents below a certain threshold that varies by region.

The Chicago Department of Housing (DOH)
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Midwest Regional Office

77 W Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL. 60604
(312) 353-6236 (Multi-Family Housing Division)
(312) 353-1915 (Housing Status, Section 8)

Housing Choice Partners

28 East Jackson, Suite 1109
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 386-1009
Fax: (312) 386-1019

Housing Authority of Cook County

(312) 663-5447