Has your housing situation been impacted by COVID-19? Emergency rent and utility assistance is available for Champaign County residents through the RPC.
The Governor has extended the eviction moratorium in the state of Illinois through September 18, 2021. Before the moratorium is lifted, we urge you to apply for Emergency Rent Assistance as soon as possible and to let your landlord know that you are applying so that you can avoid going through eviction proceedings.
To apply for Emergency Rent Assistance, you must complete the application found at the bottom of this page (the July 2021 ERA Client Application). You can also find printed versions of the application at Champaign and Urbana libraries and at the RPC’s main office (Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E. Washington Street in Urbana).
Along with your completed application, you must also provide:
- Photo identification
- A copy of your lease (or a letter from your landlord confirming your status as a renter)
- A copy of rent ledger from January 2020–present
- Copies of ALL your most recent past-due utility bills (power, water, sewer); bills over one-month-old will not be accepted
- Proof of income for all household members, such as a copy of Tax Year 2020 Form 1040 as filed with the IRS for your household, or a copy of the last 60 days of income for all household members; if applicable, you must also provide proof that you have received unemployment benefits in the 90 days prior to your application appointment, as well as a printout of weekly Illinois Department of Employment Securities (IDES) payments for a household member for the 90 days prior to your application appointment
Submit your fully completed and signed application with paper copies of all required supporting documents by mail to:
Regional Planning Commission
Attn: ERA Application
1776 E. Washington Street
Urbana, IL 61802
You may also deliver your application in person by placing your sealed envelope in the drop box outside the Washington Street entrance at the Brookens Administrative Center. Submissions will NOT be accepted by e-mail.
ERA staff will review all submitted applications and contact you by phone to schedule an in-person intake appointment to complete the eligibility determination. If your application is incomplete, ERA staff will contact you by phone and e-mail to inform you that the application was rejected and what was incomplete. Applicants whose applications are incomplete and therefore rejected are welcome to submit a new, complete application for consideration.If it is determined that you are eligible for assistance, ERA staff will contact your landlord to obtain additional documentation (a Landlord Agreement and W-9 form) to complete your application and process for payment to your landlord. We anticipate that payments will be processed within 14-30 days after receipt of all required documentation. The amount of assistance will be based on each applicant’s individual situation and will not exceed $20,000.
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number 20-1892-0-1-806, awarded to the RPC by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Other local rent assistance resources:
- Residents of City of Champaign Township
- Residents of Urbana Cunningham Township Supervisor’s Office
- RPC’s Homeless Prevention Rent Assistance
Other COVID-19 Resources
- Resources for families during COVID-19
- Resource Guide for Immigrants in C-U
- Here is a link to a document that features some of our community’s resources – mostly for food, transportation, and shelter. It includes information about donations or needed supplies that organizations have requested.
