Monday, March 23, 2020
Dear Stakeholders,
On March 20, Governor JB Pritzker issued a Stay at Home Executive Order that went into effect on March 21 at 5:00 p.m. To ensure that all Illinoisans have a safe place to shelter during the COVID-19 emergency, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is making $6 million available throughout the state for emergency lodging for people experiencing homelessness. These emergency funds will be made available through local Continuums of Care (CoC), local or regional planning bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that coordinate housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals.
IDHS is working to quickly implement this emergency lodging program. CoCs will work with local service providers to fund solutions tailored to the unique needs of their communities. Options may include hotels, motels, and other safe and appropriate accommodations.
To ensure continuity of services for persons experiencing homelessness, IDHS is also increasing existing FY20 funding for Emergency and Transitional Housing, Supportive Housing, and Homeless Prevention by 5% to increase capacity during this crisis. This 5% increase is in addition to the $6M committed for emergency lodging.
IDHS will release these funds as quickly as possible. Additional communications to providers and CoCs is forthcoming.
To find other IDHS communications related to COVID-19, you can visit the IDHS Coronavirus Website.
Sincerely,
Grace B. Hou
Secretary, IDHS
