Chicago Rents Program Can Guarantee Rent and Fill Apartment Vacancies Quickly
Future tenants applying for units at our Accelerated Moving Events (AME). The event follows COVID-19 protocols for the safety of our participants. Photo appears courtesy of All Chicago – Chicago Rents
Through the Chicago Rents program, partnering Chicago landlords can fill their vacancies quickly, with rent guaranteed.
Chicago Rents Program: At A Glance
- Chicago Rents is a program that serves to recruit and support property owners and managers in the work of connecting Chicagoans who need housing with apartments.
- Chicago Rents supports the Expedited Housing Initiative, a systemic response to the Covid-19 crisis dedicated to helping people access housing quicker.
- Chicago Rents serves as a single point of contact to help property partners connect to housing organizations that provide case management and rental assistance programs.
- Chicago Rents provides dedicated support to property partners alongside the case management support received by tenants, providing a two-pillared support structure.
- Once in a unit, a Chicago Rents tenant receives case management and rental assistance for up to 12 months, as long as they remain eligible.
Who Are Our Partners?
Through Chicago Rents, All Chicago partners with over 150 Chicago landlords to fill vacant apartments with tenants. Chicago Rents also works hand in hand with housing organizations throughout Chicago to support tenants in housing and provide rental assistance. In this way, Chicago Rents serves as the connector of landlords, people in need of homes, rental subsidies, and housing support case managers.
How Does Chicago Rents Work?
Chicago Rents moves quickly to fill your units through weekly housing selection events called Accelerated Moving Events (AME) and then provides support through case management and rental assistance.
- Chicago Rents staff gathers critical information on housing units in order to showcase them at the AME.
- Once the unit(s) is onboarded they are shown to prospective tenants at an AME
- Once a unit is selected, the application is completed on the spot. Chicago Rents submits applications to the landlord for approval.
- Once a tenant is approved, Chicago Rents assists with the leasing process. The tenant is connected with a case manager to provide support around tenancy skills, budgeting, and resource identification.
Rental Assistance
- Rental assistance through Chicago Rents can remain in place for up to 12 months of tenant enrollment in program.
- Rental assistance is income-based, with a tenant portion in cases where the tenant has income.
- Chicago Rents guarantees 100% of the rent payment each month tenant is enrolled in program. If tenant cannot pay their portion, Chicago Rents can step in to pay their portion for that month.
Benefits to Landlords
- Landlord Support
- Tenant Support
- Guaranteed Rent
- Holding Fees (flat fee based on a month’s rent in exchange for taking the unit off the market)
- Landlord Risk Mitigation Fund (fund to assist with monetary loss like damages)
- Free Advertising
Do you or landlords you know have currently available housing units, or units that will be available soon?
Chicago Rents identifies housing for 50-100 prospective tenants each week. Chicago Rents can provide holding fees for units, fill those units quickly, provide rental assistance, and support you in working with tenants. To connect with Chicago Rents about available units, please email [email protected], visit the website allchicago.org/chicagorents or complete our Landlord Survey.
About All Chicago
All Chicago’s mission is to unite our community and resources to provide solutions that ensure and sustain the stability of home. All Chicago prevents and ends homelessness through four signature approaches: Emergency Financial Assistance, Community Partnerships, Data Analytics, and Training and Research.
Authors
Erik Czaja
Chicago Rents Project Manager
All Chicago
Margaret Smith
Senior Program Manager
All Chicago
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