Cook County Launches $15 Million Homeowner Relief Fund to Address Rising Property Taxes

(COOK COUNTY, IL)–Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Commissioner Bridget Gainer announced today the opening of the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund, a $15 million program that will assist homeowners who have experienced a substantial increase in property taxes in recent years. Selected recipients will receive $1,000 in one-time assistance. Applications are open through Oct. 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

The program will provide immediate relief to residents as Cook County continues to pursue long-term property tax reform efforts at the state and local levels. These broader efforts are being led by the Cook County Property Tax Reform Group (PTAX), which includes the separately elected offices that make up the property tax system, as the County works to identify and advance system-wide reforms. 

“It has been a priority for us to support as many homeowners as possible with a measure of relief,” said President Preckwinkle. “This is part of a broader effort that advances system-wide property tax reforms. In addition, we’re continuing to develop policies that help residents at every stage of the housing continuum, from emergency shelter to homeownership.” 

"The Homeowner Relief Fund is the culmination of over a year of outreach, research and policy advocacy that will allow us to provide relief to homeowners in need of a lifeline as we work towards sustainable property tax relief," said Commissioner Bridget Gainer. "I'm proud to have made this critical program a reality to keep families in their homes and neighborhoods and protect their greatest asset to build wealth: homeownership." 

After hundreds of meetings and workshops with homeowners, Commissioner Gainer and her team commissioned research with the University of Chicago Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation to confirm that property tax volatility is a Countywide issue. Commissioner Gainer then convened a public hearing on property tax relief and passed the Homeowner Relief Fund in the 2025 County budget.  

To qualify for the program, Cook County homeowners must have experienced a property tax increase of at least 50% in the 2021, 2022 or 2023 tax years. They must also have a household income at or below 100% of the County’s Area Median Income. For example, for a household of four, the Area Median Income is $119,900. 

Applicants must also occupy the property as their primary residence. 

The Homeowner Relief Fund is part of the County’s broader effort to make homeownership more affordable for all residents. Other programs include the Cook County Modular Homes Pilot Program and the Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program. The County also supports programs such as Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt and 211 Metro Chicago to assist residents facing financial hardship.  

AidKit, Inc., is the program administrator for the Homeowner Relief Fund, hosting the application’s official website, offering applicant support, reviewing applications and issuing the $1,000 payments. 

Community-based organizations located throughout the County are also available to assist interested applicants. Support is available in multiple languages. 

The application process will include two phases. In the first, applicants must provide basic personal and demographic information. Successful applications will move to the second phase, which requires submitting documents to verify eligibility. Depending on the number of eligible applications received, the Bureau of Economic Development and AidKit will implement a lottery system to select applicants, with payments issued shortly after. 

For more information on the Cook County Homeowner Relief Fund, visit cookcountyil.gov/service/cook-county-homeowner-relief-fund.