04/12/2024
Summary:
- This manual release provides guidance on how the Illinois Stability Investment for Family Housing (SIFH) pilot payments will affect eligibility for all programs for round 2.
- The SIFH pilot was developed to benefit families who are experiencing homelessness with goals of housing stability.
- Eligible applicants will receive a one-time cash payment of at least $500 up to $10,000 based on a lottery.
- Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria requirements at time of application:
- referred by a case manager in a continuum of care facility in the selected counties of Cook, Fulton, Kane, Lake, Peoria, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell, Will, or Woodford;
- meet certain definitions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of homelessness;
- reside in one of the targeted counties (Cook, Peoria or St. Clair or phase two additions, Fulton, Kane, Lake, Sangamon, Tazewell, Will or Woodford);
- are 18 years of age or older when applying;
- are part of a family with a child 17 years of age or younger, or currently pregnant;
- meet citizenship/USCIS status requirements;
- are not receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or have any family member(s) in their household who are receiving SSI; and
- have not been matched with another permanent housing assistance program.
- Final selection of applicants for the first round of SIFH ended on 06/14/2023 and payment amount issuances began by 06/22/2023.
- Second round application registration will begin on 03/14/2024 with a deadline of 05/13/2024. All final selections of the applicants and payments amounts will be made by 05/30/2024 with issuances occurring until 06/12/2024.
Where allowed by federal law, Public Act 103-0492 allows any financial assistance, cash transfers or gifts that is provided to a person through a guaranteed income program through one-time or recurring unconditional payments for the purposes of reducing poverty, promoting economic mobility, or increasing the financial stability of Illinois residents to be excluded from determining eligibility and the amount of public assistance.
Illinois Stability Investment for Family Housing Pilot- Round 2
The first round of the Illinois Stability Investment for Family Housing (SIFH) pilot launched 05/03/2023 with round 2 of the SIFH pilot launching on 3/18/2024. The Pilots are conducted by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) through the University of Chicago's Inclusive Economy Lab.
The pilot was designed to aid selected homeless families to learn if short-term cash assistance may prevent families return to homeless shelters, reduce the length of stay in the shelters.
Eligibility Requirements for Round 2
To participate applicants must meet all the following criteria at time of application:
- referred by a case manager in a continuum of care facility in the selected counties of Cook, Kane, Lake, Peoria, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will or Woodford;
- meet the HUD definitions of homelessness: Category 1: Literal homelessness and Category 4: Fleeing/Attempting to flee domestic violence;
- reside in one of the following target counties (Cook, Fulton, Kane, Lake, Peoria, Sangamon, St Clair, Will or Woodford);
- be 18 years of age or older;
- be part of a family with a child 17 years of age or younger; or
- currently pregnant;
- meet citizenship/USCIS status requirements;
- are not receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or have any family member(s) in their household who are receiving SSI;
- be willing to participate in the SIFH program; and
- have not been matched with another permanent housing assistance program to find a home or be a recipient of a HUD housing voucher.
The first round of the SIFH application registration began 05/03/2023, with a deadline of 06/14/2023. All final selections of the pilot applicants and payment amounts were made by 06/22/2023.
Second round of SIFH application registration will begin 3/18/2024 with a deadline of 5/13/2024. All final selections for the pilot applicants and payment amounts will be made by 05/30/2024 with issuances occuring until 06/12/2024. Due to the expedited timeline, applicants may experience eligibility determination and payment delays. The one-time cash payment will be of at least $500 up to $10,000.
Cash/SNAP/Medical
Verification of the exempt income is required, if questionable, when determining eligibility for Cash, SNAP, and Medical programs. The one-time payment received from the pilot is considered exempt unearned income for the purposes of determining Cash, SNAP, and Medical eligibility for programs which utilize MAGI budgeting methodology and is non-exempt unearned income for AABD Medical and other non-MAGI Medical programs.
The SIFH pilot is not considered a Work and Training program and cannot be used to meet work and training requirements.
IES
When entering income received from the SIFH Pilot in IES, workers should enter the income based on the programs selected when processing an application or changes to an existing case. Workers should process as follows:
- Applications with Cash, SNAP and/or MAGI Medical, select Other Exempt as the unearned income type on the Unearned Income-Details page.
- Applications for AABD Medical only, select Other Unearned as the income type on the Unearned Income-Details page.
- Applications with Cash and/or SNAP containing Medical programs using AABD budgeting, workers should contact the Bureau of Medical Eligibility Policy and Special Programs (BMESP) for specific instructions, HFS.Eligibility.Policy@illinois.gov.
Document in Case Comments the type of unearned income received and if it was exempt or non-exempt for each program.
Manual Revisions
[signed copy on file]
Dulce Quintero
Secretary-Designate, Illinois Department of Human Services
Elizabeth Whitehorn
Director, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
