Cook County offering rental assistance to suburban residents

Cook County officials announced Wednesday the availability of additional $6.6 million for Emergency Rental Assistance for suburban residents at risk of homelessness or housing instability due to the pandemic.

Administered by the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) and the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, the program has distributed more than $130 million in rental assistance for renters and landlords in need.

"This is a crucial extension of our Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which has provided aid to over 17,000 households during this difficult time," County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in the announcement. .

The program received more applications than available funding when it last accepted applications in October. The U.S. Department of Treasury has since reallocated funding from other areas in the country to assist people who still need support.