Applications will open later this month for a pilot program that will provide 5,000 Chicago households with $500 per month for up to a year.
According to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Resilient Communities Pilot will be one of the biggest monthly-cash assistance programs in the country, with households chosen for the program receiving $500 per month for 12 months.
“I remain committed to making an equitable recovery from the pandemic to stabilize and ensure the wellbeing of all residents,” Lightfoot said of the program. “The Chicago Resilient Communities pilot is a way for us to efficiently support the communities and households that were hardest-hit by the pandemic with dignity as well as to build on our work to eradicate poverty.”
How to Apply for Chicago's $500-Per-Month Assistance Program
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The $31.5 million program will launch later this year, and applications to be considered for the program will open on April 25.
Residents can apply at any point for a three-week period ending on May 13. Application assistance will be available in-person, online with chat support, and over the phone beginning on April 25.
To be eligible for the program, residents must:
Local
-Live in the city of Chicago
-Be at least 18 years of age or older
-Experienced economic hardship related to COVID-19
-Have a household income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level
Those who are eligible will be entered into a lottery, according to officials. The lottery will give extra weight to individuals living in poverty, defined as 100% of the Federal Poverty Level or lower, and to communities with preexisting economic hardships.
More information can be found on the city’s website.
