12/04/2024
Summary:
- This manual provides guidance on how the Illinois Stability Investment for Family Housing (SIFH) pilot payments will affect eligibility for all Round 2 programs.
- The SIFH pilot project was developed to benefit families experiencing homelessness with the goal of housing stability.
- Eligible applicants will receive a one-time cash payment of at least $500 up to $10,000 based on a lottery.
- Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria requirements at the time of application:
- referred by a case manager at a continuing care facility in select Cook, Fulton, Kane, Lake, Peoria, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell, Will or Woodford counties;
- meet certain Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definitions of homelessness;
- reside in one of the target counties (Cook, Peoria or St. Clair or Phase Two additions, Fulton, Kane, Lake, Sangamon, Tazewell, Will or Woodford);
- are 18 years of age at the time of application;
- you are part of a family with a child 17 years of age or younger or currently pregnant;
- meet USCIS citizenship/status requirements;
- do not receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or have family members in their household who receive SSI; and
- are not combined with another permanent housing assistance program.
- The final selection of candidates for the first round of SIFH ended on 14.06.2023 and the release of payment amounts started by 22.06.2023.
- Application registration for the second round will begin on 14/03/2024 with a deadline of 13/05/2024. All final selections of applicants and payment amounts will be made by 30/05/2024, with releases taking place by 12/06/2024 Mr.
Where permitted by federal law, Public Law 103-0492 authorizes any financial assistance, cash transfer, or gift that is provided to an individual through a guaranteed income program through one-time or recurring unconditional payments for the purposes of reducing poverty, promoting economic mobility , or increasing the financial stability of Illinois residents to be excluded from determining the eligibility and amount of public assistance.
Illinois Stable Investment for Family Housing Pilot – Round 2
Round 1 of the Illinois Sound Investments in Family Housing (SIFH) pilot began on 05/03/2023, and Round 2 of the SIFH pilot began on 3/18/2024. The pilots are run by the Illinois Department of Human Services ( IDHS) through the University of Chicago’s Inclusive Economics Lab.
The pilot is designed to help select homeless families learn if short-term cash assistance can prevent families from returning to homeless shelters, reduce the length of shelter stays.
Eligibility requirements for Round 2
To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following criteria at the time of application:
- referred by a case manager at a continuing care facility in select Cook, Kane, Lake, Peoria, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will or Woodford counties;
- meet HUD’s definitions of homelessness: Category 1: Literal Homelessness and Category 4: Fleeing/Attempting to Flee from Domestic Violence;
- reside in one of the following target counties (Cook, Fulton, Kane, Lake, Peoria, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will or Woodford);
- be over 18 years of age;
- be part of a family with a child 17 or younger; or
- currently pregnant;
- meet USCIS citizenship/status requirements;
- do not receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or have family members in their household who receive SSI;
- be willing to participate in the SIFH program; and
- have not been matched with another permanent housing assistance program to find a home or be a HUD housing voucher recipient.
The first round of SIFH application registration started on 05/03/2023 with a deadline of 06/14/2023. All final selections of pilot applicants and payment amounts were made by 06/22/2023.
The second round of SIFH application registration will start on 18/03/2024 with a deadline of 13/05/2024. All final selections for the pilot applicants and payment amounts will be made by 30/05/2024, with releases taking place by 06/12/2024 Due to the accelerated timeline, applicants may experience eligibility determination and payment delays. The one-time cash payment will be from at least $500 to $10,000.
Cash/SNAP/Medical
Verification of exempt income is required if questionable when determining eligibility for Cash, SNAP, and Medical programs. The lump sum payment received by the pilot is considered exempt non-employment income for purposes of determining cash, SNAP, and Medicare eligibility for programs that use the MAGI budgeting methodology, and is non-exempt non-employment income for AABD Medical and other medical programs that they are not from MAGI.
The SIFH pilot is not considered a work and study program and cannot be used to fulfill work and study requirements.
IES
When entering SIFH Pilot earned income into IES, workers must enter the income based on the programs selected when processing an application or changes to an existing case. Workers must process as follows:
- Cash, SNAP, and/or MAGI Medical applications, select Other Exempt as the non-work income type on the non-work income details page.
- For AABD Medical applications only, select Other Unearned Income as the income type on the Unearned Income Details page.
- Cash and/or SNAP applications containing medical programs using AABD budgeting, workers should contact the Bureau of Medical Eligibility and Special Programs Policy (BMESP) for specific instructions, [email protected] .
The case document Commented on the type of unearned income received and whether or not it was exempt for each program.
Manual revisions
[signed copy on file]
Sweet Quintero
Designated Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
Elizabeth Whitehorn
Director, Illinois Department of Health and Family Services
