At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor JB Pritzker issued an evictions moratorium, via Executive Order, and has renewed it, with slight modifications, every month since. The current moratorium is set to expire on May 1, 2021. The federal government issued their own evictions moratorium through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which is set to expire on June 30, 2021. Once these moratoriums expire, there will be a backlog of evictions for individuals who have been unable to pay their rent due to COVID-related job loss and reduction. With the moratorium expirations in mind, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is working with the Illinois Housing Developmental Authority and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to expand existing and develop new programming to provide supports and services to Illinoisans at risk of homelessness. The three agencies are working on an eviction mitigation programming package. This package includes a multi-pronged strategy that provides programming to tenants across Illinois at whatever point in the evictions/homelessness process they find themselves, including: (1) rental assistance for individuals in need of funding to stay in their homes; (2) case management services for individuals in need of additional State services and supports including utilities assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, etc.; and (3) legal assistance for those individuals who are at immediate risk of eviction or for whom the evictions process has been started by their landlord. IDHS currently and has historically provided rental assistance, utility assistance, case management, and approved supportive services to prevent homelessness through the Homeless Prevention Program. As an extension and expansion of this role, the plan would be for IDHS to provide direct rental assistance as well as apply an equity-focused strategy that includes targeting communities that have experienced the largest economic, housing, and healthcare disparities due to the pandemic. This will help ensure the maximum number of people and the most vulnerable people are prevented from being served an eviction notice or from experiencing homelessness. IDHS is committed to providing a continuum of services whereby individuals receive a “warm hand-off” between program types as needed to best serve the individuals in need of these services and supports. IDHS would like to partner with All Chicago Making Homelessness History (All Chicago) so they can disburse emergency funding in the form of direct rental assistance to landlords and grantees providing court based eviction services and tasked with preventing Illinoisans from experiencing eviction and homelessness specific to the COVID-19 pandemic. All Chicago would quickly and efficiently distribute emergency federal and state funding to pay for rent and utilities so that tenants adversely affected by COVID-19 can receive the critical support needed before having to engage with the Illinois court system. As cited above (310 ILCS 70/4.5), IDHS would pilot this method of providing emergency assistance to “consider the extent to which the proposed project activities demonstrate ways in which existing resources in a service area may be more effectively coordinated.” All Chicago has been providing solutions for homelessness for 48 years. All Chicago is the Chicago Continuum of Care (CoC), a membership organization comprised of more than 100 organizations and individuals who work to prevent and end homelessness in Chicago. Mandated by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the CoC strategizes and plans a coordinated, comprehensive approach to providing housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. All Chicago has administered the COVID-19 Homeless System Agency Emergency Fund since the start of the pandemic. This fund provides flexible emergency financial assistance to homeless service agencies as they respond to the COVID-19 crisis. A NOFO and Merit Based Review exception approval from GATU-GOMB on April 30, 2021 to be able to work with All Chicago Making Homelessness History to disburse ERA funding to eligible participants at risk of homelessness. Now that ERA2 funds are made available to Illinois to use in FY22, deviation is requested to exempt IDHS from having to issue a new NOFO for ERA2 funds. The purpose of ERA1 and ERA2 is to prevent eviction and increase in homelessness. IDHS intends to provide funding to the same grantees selected under the ERA1 NOFO to make sure that there is no disruption of services. IDHS will review performance of grantees provided with ERA1 funds to determine the appropriate level of ERA2 funding consistent with both performance and community needs. This deviation request asks that IDHS be allowed to treat ERA2 funding as a supplemental program to ERA1 funding and allow IDHS to award additional funding to the existing ERA1-funded grantees that were selected through the above mentioned NOFO merit review process and to those grantees that received NOFO waivers. The goals of the program and allowable services funded by ERA1 and ERA2 to be delivered are the same. The Eviction Mitigation Rental and Court Based Assistance Program is part of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which received approval for a NOFO exception request on August 25, 2021 by omb.gata.exceptions for CSFA 444-80-2552.

Order under Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42.U.S.C. 264) and 42 Code of Federal Regulations 70.2; CFDA #21.023

Executive Order 2021-11 extends the moratorium on Illinois evictions to June 26, 2021; Executive Order 2021-(COVID-19 EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.82)

30 ILCS 708/) Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (310 ILCS 70/) Homelessness Prevention Act (310 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1302) Sec. 2. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds that homelessness frequently results from a temporary economic crisis such as a temporary loss of employment, medical emergency, or loss or interruption of public benefits. It is also found that the prevention of homelessness, as opposed to providing temporary shelter or offering other short-term solutions to persons who become homeless, is cost-effective, preserves family self-respect and helps to keep families intact. The General Assembly also finds that short-term interventions for the prevention of homelessness serve to prevent the need for long-term assistance programs that are more costly to taxpayers. (Source: P.A. 91-388, eff. 1-1-00.) (30 ILCS 708/) Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (310 ILCS 70/) Homelessness Prevention Act (310 ILCS 70/2) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1302) Sec. 2. Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds that homelessness frequently results from a temporary economic crisis such as a temporary loss of employment, medical emergency, or loss or interruption of public benefits. It is also found that the prevention of homelessness, as opposed to providing temporary shelter or offering other short-term solutions to persons who become homeless, is cost-effective, preserves family self-respect and helps to keep families intact. The General Assembly also finds that short-term interventions for the prevention of homelessness serve to prevent the need for long-term assistance programs that are more costly to taxpayers. (Source: P.A. 91-388, eff. 1-1-00.) (310 ILCS 70/4.5) Sec. 4.5. Grant eligibility. The Department shall award grants to grantees that agree to focus their emergency response systems on homeless prevention and securing permanent or transitional housing for homeless households. The Department shall consider the extent to which the proposed project activities demonstrate ways in which existing resources in a service area may be more effectively coordinated. Priority in awarding grants will be given to applicants participating in an established continuum of care. (Source: P.A. 91-388, eff. 1-1-00.) (310 ILCS 70/8) (from Ch. 67 1/2, par. 1308) Sec. 8. Payment of assistance. Assistance provided under this Act may be paid to a landlord, mortgage company, utility company, or other vendor who provides housing or other services to an applicant for assistance. (Source: P.A. 96-291, eff. 8-11-09.) (310 ILCS 70/11) Sec. 11. The program shall provide for outreach to persons who are likely to be in need of assistance. Such outreach may include, but shall not be limited to, general publicity, and cooperation with other agencies and court and sheriff's personnel involved in eviction matters.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a housing crisis, in part because of the loss of employment related to quarantine. A key element to preventing housing instability and homelessness is the disbursal of emergency funding in the form of direct rental assistance to landlords and grantees providing court based eviction services. The goal of this project is to prevent Illinoisans from experiencing eviction and homelessness specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to quickly and efficiently distribute emergency funding to pay for rent and utilities so that tenants adversely affected by COVID-19 can receive the critical support needed before having to engage with the Illinois court system.

Yes

The related Program Manual, if applicable, can be found via the following DHS website: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=29741 and is hereby incorporated into this Agreement. The related Program Attachment, if applicable is H. It can be found via the following DHS website: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=29741 and is hereby incorporated into this

Nonprofit Organizations;

Certified and in compliance with the Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) requirements; Demonstrated track record in providing legal assistance or mediation services to individuals impacted by housing insecurity; Provide services to Illinois residents for Civil Legal Assistance and/or Mediation Services; Provide services to low-income people free of charge. Low-income is defined as a household income of up to 80% Area Median Income (AMI) in Chicago for Cook County grantees and 80% Area Median Income (AMI) in Illinois for all other counties.

Illinois tenants may be eligible to receive ILRPP assistance if: The household is at risk of homelessness or housing instability (i.e. household received a past due rent or eviction notice). The household lives in Illinois and rents their home as their primary residence. The total gross income cannot exceed 80% Area Median Income for location (find county income limits here). The household experienced a financial hardship, including a loss of income or increased expenses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Project Grants

Human Services

N/A

N/A

Grantee must have active DUNS number; SAM cage code; Good standing; Complete a 3 page Uniform Grant Application; Programmatic Risk Assessment and complete CSA Uniform Grant Agreement budget

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

A. Time Period for Required Periodic Financial Reports. Unless a different reporting requirement is specified in Exhibit G, Grantee shall submit financial reports to Grantor pursuant to Paragraph 13.1 and reports must be submitted no later than 15 days after the quarter ends. B. Time Period for Close-out Reports. Grantee shall submit a Close-out Report pursuant to Paragraph 13.2 and no later than 45 days after this Agreement's end of the period of performance or termination. C. Time Period for Required Periodic Performance Reports. Unless a different reporting requirement is specified in Exhibit G, Grantee shall submit Performance Reports to Grantor pursuant to Paragraph 14.1 and such reports must be submitted no later than 15 days after the quarter ends. D. Time Period for Close-out Performance Reports. Grantee agrees to submit a Close-out Performance Report, pursuant to Paragraph 14.2 and no later than 45 days after this Agreement's end of the period of performance or termination. Grantee shall submit quarterly Periodic Performance Report (GOMBGATU-4001 (N-08-17)). Grantee shall submit a quarterly Periodic Financial Report (GOMBGATU-4002 (N-08-17)). Reported expenses should be consistent with the approved annual grant budget. Any expenditure variances require prior Grantor approval in accordance with Article VI of the Uniform Grant Agreement to be reimbursable.

Grantee shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 USC 7501-7507) and Subpart F of 2 CFR Part 200, and the audit rules and policies set forth by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget. See 30 ILCS 708/65(c); 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.90

Grantee shall maintain for three (3) years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report, adequate books, all financial records and, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to this Award, adequate to comply with 2 CFR 200.334, unless a different retention period is specified in 2 CFR 200.334 or 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.430(a) and (b). If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken.

059244401490000NE

FY21=$8,000,000; FY22=estimate of $14,000,000

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Chicago

https://allchicago.org/

Eviction Mitigation Pilot, Immigrant and Refugee Housing Assistance Project, Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Housing Awareness Assistance Program

N/A

7/23/2021

FY 2021 : $8,000,000