ILLINOIS (WAND) - The reopening of a rental payment program for tenants and landlords has been delayed to December, state officials announced Monday. 

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) announced the Illinois Rental Payment Program is being delayed because of a vendor needing more time to ensure the application platform is functioning correctly. Money from this round will still be distributed to approved Illinoisans before the end of 2021 as was originally scheduled, a press release said. The full release is attached to this story as a PDF file. 

In the first ILRPP round, which was launched in May, IHDA leaders said they approved over 57,000 applications and paid out nearly $540 million on behalf of renters experiencing hardships related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2020, Illinois provided over $776 million in emergency rental assistance to help over 103,100 Illinois seniors, families and others safely housed. 

Applications will now be accepted starting on Monday, Dec. 6 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9 through this link. 

IHDA officials said the department is "continuously learning" from past application rounds and looking to improve the process so funds can quickly reach landlords and tenants affected by the pandemic. The portal needs additional testing "to ensure it can accommodate the tens of thousands of applicants that may apply for ILRPP assistance," the release said. 

“While this delays the date we’ll begin accepting applications, IHDA is committed to meeting the original timeline of disbursing rental assistance money to tenants and landlords in December,” said IHDA Executive Director Kristin Faust. “We recognize this postponement may cause concern for tenants facing eviction, but there is help for renters available now.”

The release noted applications for those renters who need immediate help with rental assistance are currently being accepted through the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Households seeking assistance should reach out to an IDHS Service Provider Agency to ask about rental assistance. Provider agencies can help a person figure out if they are eligible and can help them apply for rental assistance. 

People can find a list of provider agencies, along with organizations helping with utility bills, free legal aid and additional services, here.