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COOK COUNTY, Ill. — Suburban Cook County residents in need of rental or utility assistance will have another chance to get financial help.

On Wednesday, April 27, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Housing Authority of Cook County Executive Director Richard Monocchio, and Cook County Director of Planning and Development Susan Campbell announced an additional $6.6 million in rental and utility assistance for residents facing housing instability.

The new money came from the federal government after they pulled some funds from other states to be redistributed. County leaders said Cook County’s program was one of those to receive the additional funding because of how well it distributed the previous money.

The funding will add to the over $130 million in rental assistance that has been disbursed by the county since the start of the pandemic and will benefit eligible applicants who previously qualified but did not receive assistance. That means no new applications will be taken for this additional round of help.

Preckwinkle added the county is still seeking additional funding to continue the program, and in the meantime residents in need can receive free legal aid when faced with housing debt or eviction.