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Youth
Housing Assistance
The Department
of Children and Family Services may provide Housing Advocacy services
and/or Cash Assistance to stabilize the housing of wards preparing to
emancipate, and former wards that have emancipated.
Referral
Process
The client
or the client's caseworker may contact Ted Ernst, the Youth Housing Assistance
Coordinator at 312·814·5571 or
TErnst@idcfs.state.il.us
for more information or submit form CFS 370-5 directly (fax 312 814 7134).
Housing
Advocacy
Housing advocacy
services assist clients in obtaining and/or maintaining stable housing.
Services include:
- assistance
in securing affordable housing;
- consumer
education;
- linkages
to community based resources (i.e. assistance with utilities, clothing
and food); and
- follow-up
services for a minimum of three months after the client secures appropriate
housing.
Eligibility
Youth applying
for housing advocacy services must:
- be at
least 17 ½ and less than 21 years of age;
- be a DCFS
ward within six months of emancipation, or be a former ward who was
emancipated (Note: Wards who entered adoption or subsidized guardianship
after their 14th birthday are also eligible.);
- be homeless
or in significant danger of becoming homeless if assistance is not provided;
and
- have an
income that is sufficient to meet rent and utility costs; or be in a
program that will help them obtain an income before housing is obtained
(e.g., a job placement program).
Cash Assistance
Assistance
will vary depending on a client's situation. Cash assistance may be authorized
for the following reasons:
- housing
security deposit;
- rent when
the client cannot make the payment;
- partial
housing subsidy for a period of one year following emancipation (housing
costs must exceed 30% of income and assistance cannot continue past
the client's 21st birthday);
- beds for
the client and the client's children;
- current
utility bills or utility deposits;
- appliances;
and,
- other
items required by the client to avoid or manage a crisis.
Eligibility
Youth applying
for Cash Assistance must:
- be at
least 18 and less than 21 years of age;
- be a DCFS
ward ready for emancipation (Applications for assistance may be made
before emancipation, but cash assistance cannot be provided until after
emancipation) or be a former DCFS ward who was emancipated;
- have an
income that is sufficient to meet rent and utility costs after cash
assistance is provided;
- have completed
a budget statement (CFS 370-5C) that demonstrates that with any subsidy
and all other income they will be able to cover all remaining living
expenses (e.g. housing, utilities, clothing, food). [Note: If the budget
criterion is not met and the client has shown commitment to obtaining
an income (e.g., is in a job placement program), a one-time exception
may be made.]; and
- be homeless
or in a situation that will result in homelessness if cash assistance
is not provided.
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