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Rent help · Illinois

Open, per the source

Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) · Illinois

Illinois state help to pay back rent and court costs if you already have an eviction case for nonpayment

See how to apply See the official page
WhatsApp
Kind of help
Rent
What its page says it pays; the agency decides the amount in your case.
Is it open?
Open, per the source
What its page said on November 6, 2026.
Checked
November 6, 2026
Against the program's official page.

Type of help

What help it gives

  • Rental

Source text

The Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) provides emergency rental assistance to tenants and landlords across Illinois who have pending case(s) in eviction court. Eligible applicants may qualify for up to $10,000 that can be applied to past due rent, up to $700 for court costs, and up to two months' future rent to prevent housing displacement.

A summary of what the program publishes; not a promise of help or advice. Funds, limits and application dates change without notice.

At a glance

Who qualifies

Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.

Source text

You may be eligible for CBRAP if: You are in a court eviction proceeding due to nonpayment. Proof of citizenship is not required. Your household income is at or below 80% of the area median income, adjusted for household size. … You rent/ lease an apartment in Illinois.

What its page says about being open

The Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program is Open

Read on the official page on November 6, 2026. illinoishousinghelp.org

Step by step

How to use it, step by step

The steps to ask for the help, with what the program’s page says. What its page leaves open is further down, in the questions.

See how to apply

  1. Confirm it is still open

    Its page said it was open when we checked. These programs run out of money: look again before you start.

  2. Find who takes your application

    Check the official page for how to apply: with Illinois Housing Development Authority or with a local agency in your area. If you can’t find it, call Illinois Housing Development Authority and ask.

  3. Have your papers ready

    Have your lease, the notice or past-due bill, and proof of your income ready. Ask what else they need and keep a copy of everything you hand in.

  4. If you have an eviction case, don’t miss court

    Don’t assume that asking for help stops an eviction case. Go to every hearing, tell the judge you applied for help, and look for free legal aid.

Before you call

What to ask

Its page leaves 3 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Illinois Housing Development Authority.

What its page does not say

  • What is the most it gives, and how is it calculated?
  • Do you accept an ITIN?
  • Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?

Worth asking for this kind of help

  • How many months of rent, or which bills, does it cover?
  • Does it pay the landlord or the utility company, or me?
  • How long does an answer take, and how will I know if I’m approved?
  • Do I have to pay anything back, or can I apply again next year?

Sources

How we checked this program

We read the program's official pages on November 6, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.

We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.

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Talk to a housing counselor

A HUD-approved housing counselor helps for free or at low cost with your budget, back rent and your options if you face eviction.

Find a counselor (HUD)

Guides to paying rent and asking for help