Cook County offering homeowners $1,000 to help pay taxes

Cook County officials on Monday announced the opening of the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund, a $15 million program to help homeowners who’ve seen their property tax bills rise substantially in recent years.

Recipients will receive $1,000 in one-time assistance. To qualify, a Cook County homeowner must have experienced a property tax increase of at least 50% in the 2021, 2022 or 2023 tax years and occupy the property as their primary residence.

They also must have a household income at or below 100% of the county’s area median income. For a household of four, that’s $119,900.

“It has been a priority for us to support as many homeowners as possible with a measure of relief,” county board President Toni Preckwinkle said in the announcement. “This is part of a broader effort that advances system-wide property tax reforms.”

Applications are open through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 10. To apply, visit hrf.cookcountyil.gov.

The application process will include two phases. First, applicants must provide basic personal and demographic information. Successful applications will move to the second phase, which requires submitting documents to verify eligibility.

Depending on the number of eligible applications received, a lottery system will be implemented to select applicants, with payments issued shortly after.

Officials said the Homeowner Relief Fund is part of the county’s broader effort to make homeownership more affordable. Other programs include the Cook County Modular Homes Pilot Program and the Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program.

For more information, visit cookcountyil.gov/service/cook-county-homeowner-relief-fund.