Illinois to Use $1.4M in Settlement Funds to Help Renters

Illinois will set aside nearly $1.4 million from the national mortgage settlement to provide legal representation for renters who reside in buildings that may go into foreclosure.

""Attorney General Lisa Madigan"":http://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov announced in a release Thursday that the funds will go to Chicago's Lawyers Committee for Better Housing (LCBH).

The $1,391,000 grant covers a three-year period and will go toward the Tenants in Foreclosure Intervention Project, which focuses on issues tenants face when residing in buildings in foreclosure, and also help LCBH hire staff members and lawyers while supporting current employees.

A report from the LCBH revealed one out of every 10 rental units in Chicago has been impacted by foreclosure. Last year, 13,814 rental units were foreclosed on, which is about 5,000 more units than single-family and condominiums, according to the release.

""When an apartment building enters foreclosure, its tenants are often thrown into a kind of legal limbo, where their rights are either ignored or overtly violated,"" Madigan said. ""Having a legal advocate on their side will help ensure that tenants know their rights and have their rights enforced.""