Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund

On Sept. 29, 2025, Cook County launched the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund, a $15 million program that will assist households that have experienced a substantial increase on their property tax bills in recent years.

Under the direction of the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development, the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund will provide one-time payments of $1,000 to eligible households.

Limited funding is available.

The application portal was open from Sept. 29, 2025-Oct. 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

The application process will be conducted in two phases to help the County ensure that relief goes to eligible households while reducing the burden on applicants and simplifying documentation needs. 

• Phase 1 (Initial Screening): In this phase, applicants were asked to provide basic personal and demographic information. If they met the basic criteria, their application advanced to Phase 2. Applicants were notified on whether they advanced to Phase 2 on Nov. 10, 2025.
• Phase 2 (Document Submission): Applicants who advance to Phase 2 must submit documents to verify their eligibility. Documents are due by Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. Successful submissions will receive payment.
  • Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund Phase 2 Document Requirements

Other resources

While the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund is a limited-time program that will serve about 14,000 households, Cook County remains committed to finding new ways to support residents and provide relief to families facing financial hardship. 

Other programs available to residents include:

• Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt, which offers free legal help for foreclosure and consumer debt issues
• 211 Metro Chicago, which is a 24/7 helpline connecting the public to resources associated with housing, utility payments and more

Eligibility

Eligibility requirements for the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund include:

• A property tax bill increase of at least 30% in any of the 2021, 2022 or 2023 tax years
  • NOTE: This includes those who went from a zero property tax bill to a non-zero bill in tax year 2021, 2022 or 2023.
  • How to calculate whether your property taxes increased by at least 30% from one year to the next:
    • Find the difference between the taxes from one year to the next. (NOTE: Only increases from tax years 2020 to 2021; 2021 to 2022; and 2022 to 2023 are applicable.)
    • Divide the difference by the tax amount from the first year in question.
    • Example #1:
      • 2020 property taxes: $3,500
      • 2021 property taxes: $4,900
      • Difference: $1,400
      • 1,400/3,500 = .40, or 40 percent
      • Yes, the property experienced a property tax increase of at least 30%.
    • Example #2:
      • 2021 property taxes: $3,000
      • 2022 property taxes: $3,300
      • Difference: $300
      • 500/3,000 = .10, or 10 percent
      • No, the property did not experience a property tax increase of at least 30%.
• A 2024 income at or below 100% of the Cook County Area Median Income (AMI) for the applicant's household size (see guide below).
  • For example, a four-person household making $119,900 or less would be eligible. 
• Have a Cook County homeowner exemption on the property, which shows it is your primary residence

View full program overview and eligibility checklist.

The official application was available at hrf.cookcountyil.gov.

Cook County Area Median Income (AMI) Guide

NOTES: 

• Area Median Income is determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
• The income limit refers to the income of all adults in the household.

Questions?

For more information on the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund, contact our support team at:

• Phone/text (Ieave voicemail): 708-834-7895
• Email: support@hrfcookcountyil.aidkit.org

For media inquiries, email:

Maria Phelan, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development deputy director of communications

maria.phelan2@cookcountyil.gov

Kyle Garmes, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development public relations specialist

kyle.garmes@cookcountyil.gov