Saying it's the "right thing to do" to protect Illinois' most vulnerable residents, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday announced another 30-day extension of the state's moratorium on evictions.
At his daily coronavirus news briefing, the governor explained the extension will only cover renters who have earned no more than $90,000 in annual income - or $198,000 for joint filers - during the calendar year.
"The need is enormous for landlords, renters and home mortgage holders alike," he said. "Both the rental and mortgage assistance programs were oversubscribed two-to-one, and that’s not even counting people in need who might never have applied at all."
Renters will be required to submit a form to their landlord certifying they are unable to pay due to a substantial loss of income or an increase in out-of-pocket expenses stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, according to the governor's office.
The new moratorium, Pritzker said, will ensure smaller landlords and property owners receive payments from individuals who've taken advantage of the eviction ban.
The governor first issued an executive order placing residential evictions on hold in March, and reissued the order in subsequent 30-day periods.
On a national level, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September announced an unprecedented ban on evictions through the end of 2020.
Local
Since the start of the pandemic, the state of Illinois has awarded $182 million dollars in assistance to 36,400 renters suffering from financial hardship.
Friday's announcement from Pritzker comes as the state sees a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases and leaders continue to plead with residents to stay home as often as possible.
