Effective immediately, Neighborhood Housing Services is no longer accepting mortgage assistance applications.
Program Overview
The Mortgage Assistance Program, made possible by the City of Chicago, provides assistance to low-to moderate-income Chicago homeowners who have suffered an economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are having difficulty paying their mortgage.
The maximum amount of assistance available is $3,300. Grant amounts awarded will be based on the amount needed to bring your mortgage current, even if you are on a forbearance plan with your lender/servicer. Eligible homeowners will have the assistance paid directly to their mortgage servicer.
DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS
If you received a mortgage assistance grant from NHS of Chicago or the Illinois Housing Development Authority last year (2020), you are not eligible for this mortgage assistance program.
General Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for assistance, you must:
- Be a resident of the City of Chicago
- Live in the home (single family up to 4 units) for which you are applying for assistance. It must be your primary place of residence.
- Demonstrate your total household income was 120% or below the Area Median Income (AMI) prior to March 1, 2020. (See table below.)
- Have a mortgage on your home that was current as of March 1, 2020 and is now delinquent. You may be on a forbearance plan.
- Have experienced a change in your financial status after March 1, 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis.
- Be 18 years of age or over, or be a financially independent minor.
Income Requirements
Please refer to the table below, which shows maximum income by household size, to determine if you meet the income eligibility requirement.
(Area Median Income (AMI) for the Chicago Metropolitan Area effective as of April 1, 2021, per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.)
Household Size | 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person | 7 Person | 8 Person |
120% AMI | $78,360 | $89,520 | $100,680 | $111,840 | $120,840 | $129,840 | $138,720 | $147,720 |
Household Size | 1 Person | 2 Person | 3 Person |
120% AMI | $78,360 | $89,520 | $100,680 |
Household Size | 4 Person | 5 Person | 6 Person |
120% AMI | $111,840 | $120,840 | $129,840 |
Household Size | 7 Person | 8 Person |
120% AMI | $138,720 | $147,720 |
Documents Needed
To apply for the Mortgage Assistance Program, you will provide documents to determine program eligibility and grant amount. Please provide one document (or one set of documents) from Group A, C, D, and E per the grid below, to apply.
Your home address (i.e. the property for which you are applying for mortgage assistance} should match all your documents. If the address on your government-issued photo ID DOES NOT match your current home address, please also provide one document with your current home address on it from Group B.
To submit a COMPLETE application online, you must provide the required documents from each category required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
If you have any questions about the documents needed or the uploading process, refer to our FAQ or call 800-831-7949 to talk to one of our Client Services representatives.
Group A |
Group B |
Group C |
Group D |
Group E |
Government Photo ID |
(If Your Photo ID Address DOES NOT Match Your Current Home Address) |
Proof of COVID-19–related loss of income |
Income Eligibility BEFORE March 1, 2020 (up to 120% AMI) |
Mortgage Documents |
Driver’s License |
Utility Bill (Electric, Gas, Telephone) |
IDES Unemployment Statement |
2019 Tax Return |
Current Mortgage Statement |
Chicago ID |
Insurance Bill (Homeowners, Auto) |
Documentation from current/former employer confirming layoff, furlough, or reduction in hours |
2019 W-2s of all adults 18 and older in household |
State Issued ID |
Deed to your current residence |
2 Pay stubs or bank statements before and after March 1, 2020 showing a reduction in wages/earnings |
2 bank statements for each household member Prior to March 1, 2020 |
Passport or passport card |
Voter Registration Card |
Small Business Closure Notification |
SNAP Card |
Military ID or Department of Defense ID Card |
2020 W-2, 1099, or Tax Statement |
Proof of exhausted FMLA due to COVID-19 Diagnosis |
Matricula Consular |
|
2 pay stubs or bank statements BOTH before and after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis showing a reduction in income |
Green Card or Visa |
|
Proof of self-employment and of reduction in income • Proof of Self-Employment (e.g. EIN/TIN number or business license.) • Paystubs or bank statements showing decreased income after March 1 |
REAL ID |
Government ID from any Country |
Group A |
Government Photo ID |
Driver’s License |
Chicago ID |
State Issued ID |
Passport or passport card |
Military ID or Department of Defense ID Card |
Matricula Consular |
Green Card or Visa |
REAL ID |
Government ID from any Country |
Group B |
(If Your Photo ID Address DOES NOT Match Your Current Home Address) |
Utility Bill (Electric, Gas, Telephone) |
Insurance Bill (Homeowners, Auto) |
Deed to your current residence |
Voter Registration Card |
2020 W-2, 1099, or Tax Statement |
Group C |
Proof of COVID-19–related loss of income |
IDES Unemployment Statement |
Documentation from current/former employer confirming layoff, furlough, or reduction in hours |
2 Pay stubs or bank statements before and after March 1, 2020 showing a reduction in wages/earnings |
Small Business Closure Notification |
Proof of exhausted FMLA due to COVID-19 Diagnosis |
2 pay stubs or bank statements BOTH before and after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis showing a reduction in income |
Proof of self-employment and of reduction in income • Proof of Self-Employment (e.g. EIN/TIN number or business license.) • Paystubs or bank statements showing decreased income after March 1 |
Group D |
Income Eligibility BEFORE March 1, 2020 (up to 120% AMI) |
2019 Tax Return |
2019 W-2s of all adults 18 and older in household |
2 bank statements for each household member Prior to March 1, 2020 |
SNAP Card |
Group E |
Mortgage Documents |
Current Mortgage Statement |
Other Services
Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) is here to help you navigate through this economic crisis. We also provide a full range of services, including financial counseling, analyses to lower your housing costs, foreclosure intervention counseling, and foreclosure prevention workshops. We can help you identify other resources and options for your COVID-19 related housing issues.
For any information or questions related to these programs, please call us at 800-831-7949, or email EmergencyAssistance@NHSChicago.org.