Illinois Supreme Court Enters Order Supporting CARES Act Housing Protections

The CBF and its partners in the legal aid community helped advocate for a Supreme Court Order based on the protections for tenants outlined in the federal CARES Act. Under the Act, landlords are required to wait until after July 25 to issue any eviction notices to renters in housing units that are part of federally-funded programs or in private properties with federally-backed mortgages. The CARES Act also requires landlords to give tenants a 30-day notice before filing an eviction case in court. Together, these requirements will give tenants the time they need to negotiate with landlords, apply for rental assistance, or make plans to safely move out.

Seeing the potential for confusion from landlords struggling to comply with the new requirements and backlogs in courts struggling to keep up with new filings, the CBF and its partners advocated for a temporary court order that would require landlords to state in their eviction complaint whether a property is covered by the CARES Act. This simple disclosure will reduce confusion, educate both landlords and tenants about the new requirements and protections, and help the court more efficiently manage its growing eviction dockets. Read the Supreme Court Order and the press release.