Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD)

Service Information

Launched in November 2020, Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt (CCLAHD) is a collaborative effort that provides free legal assistance for tenants facing eviction, small landlords dealing with eviction issues, homeowners behind on mortgages or property taxes, and individuals with consumer debt issues.

All services are available at no cost to Cook County residents and property owners.

  • Eviction and Consumer Debt hotline: (855) 956-5763; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Mortgage Foreclosure helpline: (855) 452-2637; Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Cook County Government partners with many organizations on CCLAHD, including:

  • The Chicago Bar Foundation
  • Circuit Court of Cook County
  • City of Chicago Department of Housing
  • Illinois Housing Development Authority

For more information, visit cookcountylegalaid.org.

Making an impact

In June 2024, CCLAHD partners released an impact report showing the positive effects of the program. Notable trends and statistics include:

  • Over 75,000 Cook County residents served
  • More tenants participating in their eviction cases, leading to default court-ordered evictions decreasing to about 20 percent, compared to 40-60 percent default rates typically found in other jurisdictions around the country
  • Over 7,300 fewer cases placed with the Cook County Sheriff for eviction since CCLAHD's inception

Questions?

Please email Cook County Bureau of Economic Development public information officer Kyle Garmes at kyle.garmes@cookcountyil.gov with any questions.

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