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PROPOSED INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT
Department: Bureau of Economic Development
Other Part(ies): Illinois Housing Development Authority
Request: Authorization to enter into and execute an Intergovernmental Agreement for Court Based Rental Assistance for Cook County residents between Cook County and the Illinois Housing Development Authority, a body politic and corporate entity established pursuant to the Illinois Housing Development Act, 20 ILCS 3805/1 et seq., as supplemented and amended.
Goods or Services: Administration of Court Based Rental Assistance
Agreement Number(s): N/A
Agreement Period: 3/12/2026 - 11/30/2026
Fiscal Impact: FY26 - $5,800,000.00
Accounts: 11000.1490.60317.580170
Summary: IHDA administers the statewide Court Based Rental Assistance (CBRA) Program which provides emergency rental assistance to tenants and landlords who have pending cases in eviction court. The CBRA Program is a critical resource for CCLAHD eviction clients. The $42.5M in state CBRA funding is expected to run out two to three months prior to the end of the state fiscal year (6/30/2026).
The City of Chicago periodically releases Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars to itself and affected taxing bodies, and did so for its FY26 budget as approved by the City Council on 12/20/2025. Cook County receives a portion of its funds. In its own Fiscal Year 2026 budget passed on 11/20/2025, Cook County allocated these TIF funds toward critical social services. For funds allocated to Bureau of Economic Development programs, the priority was on keeping residents stable through additional funding for food and housing support as areas particularly affected by major federal policy and funding shifts. The CBRA Program in partnership with IHDA is intended to ensure continued availability of emergency rental assistance in Cook County.
Through the statewide CBRA Program IHDA has the capacity and infrastructure to accept and review applications for court-based rental assistance and process the payments to landlords and tenants. The Intergovernmental Agreement (“Agreement”) grants IHDA up to $5,800,000.00 to provide financial assistance to eligible applicants within Cook County through the CBRA Program. Up to 15% of the funds may be used to administer the CBRA Program within Cook County.
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