Rental Assistance Program is accepting applications

Written on May 19, 2021.

Resume McHenry County Update!

Through our collaboration with McHenry County, we will continue to share important information on stimulus programs, PPP loans, COVID-19 updates and more through its Resume McHenry County Updates.

Please take a moment to scroll down to see new advancements this week as we move to open McHenry County. If MCEDC can be of any help, please call. Forward this email to your friends and family to help get the word out!

Mask rules eased… big time… if you’re vaccinated

Governor Pritzker on Monday removed the mask mandate in most settings for people who are fully immunized against COVID-19; they still have to be worn on public transit, hospitals, schools, and congregate living facilities.

We’re still not across the finish line just yet, but the good news just keeps on coming. Last Friday, Illinois entered the “bridge phase” that further loosened capacity limits on Illinois businesses; and the way our metrics look now, Illinois appears all systems go to fully repeal them June 11 as scheduled.

So, seeing as how people who are fully vaccinated can (for the most part) ditch the masks, what are you waiting for if you haven’t signed up?

Supplies of the vaccine are so plentiful that the McHenry County Department of Health, as well as CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies, now take walk-in appointments. But even though the MCDH is taking walk-ins, it’s a good idea to make an appointment – you can make one for an MCDH clinic or other government-run vaccination site by visiting the state’s vaccine registration page at https://covidvaccination.dph.illinois.gov. For a list of retail pharmacies offering the vaccine, visit http://coronavirus.illinois.gov, or the MCDH vaccine locator page at http://bit.ly/MCDHFindVaccine.

People without Internet or who need translation services can schedule an appointment through the MCDH Call Center at 815-334-4045, or by calling the Illinois Department of Public Health hotline at 833-621-1284. If you have a neighbor or relative who needs assistance, please help them make an appointment or help them contact the Call Center.

Let’s get this done and fully reopen Illinois – it’s not too much to vax! However, the definition of “fully vaccinated” is that two weeks have elapsed since your final shot (your second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or your first and only shot of Johnson & Johnson vaccine). So if you’re not there yet, keep on masking until you are.

Illinois accepting applications for rental assistance program

On Monday, the Illinois Housing Development Authority began accepting applications for its Rental Payment Program to help tenants behind on rent because of pandemic-related reasons.

The state program offers up to 15 months of rent assistance, or up to $25,000.

Either the tenant or the landlord can initiate the process. Landlords can do so through June 7, and tenants can do so starting June 9 through June 28. To apply, visit the state application site at https://ilrpp.ihda.org.

To qualify, households must be at least 30 days behind on rent, and their gross total income cannot exceed 80% of their area median income. Hardship qualifications include losing a job or being unable to find work because of COVID-19, reduction in work hours, loss of child support, or an inability to work because of school or daycare closures. Click here to learn more and to watch video tutorials, available in English and Spanish, on how to apply.

This program is separate from the ongoing McHenry County Emergency Utility and Rental Assistance Program, which opened in March to offer rent and utility bill assistance to tenants and landlords who are behind because of COVID-related hardship. Qualifying county residents can click here to learn more and to apply.

Dusting off the welcome mat for tourists

Speaking of shots in the arm, Visit McHenry County and the state have launched two major campaigns to get tourists back out and about.

Last week, Governor Pritzker launched the “Time for Me to Drive” campaign to encourage local residents and out-of-state tourists to get out and drive Illinois. You can learn more, and read more than 60 sample travel itineraries, at the Illinois Office of Tourism website at www.enjoyillinois.com.

Also, at the start of May, Visit McHenry County partnered with eight other tourism organizations to kick off the Visit Chicagoland campaign, with the theme “The Only Thing Missing Is You,” to promote the Chicago area’s many sights and experiences. You can learn more on the campaign’s website at www.visitchicagoland.com.

Tourism dollars are vital to our ongoing efforts to help McHenry County’s business community recover from COVID-19. In 2019, before the pandemic hit, tourism accounted for $264.8 million in spending in McHenry County, according to DCEO data. Statewide, tourism brought in 120 million visitors who injected a total of $43.1 billion into state and local economies.

Thank you to Visit McHenry County for its hard work and taking the lead!

State expands business navigator program

Last week, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced a significant expansion of its community navigator program to help small, rural, and minority-owned businesses connect with COVID-19 relief programs.

The DCEO is spending another $10 million for community partners who can assist the state in reaching more small businesses to inform them of the help available.

While the Paycheck Protection Program has run out of funding to accept new applicants, small businesses can still apply for relief programs such as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and more.

FEMA offering vaccine outreach help

If you’re a business owner with employees who have questions or concerns about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, there’s a free asset you can call on for help.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has community outreach specialists available locally whose job it is to raise awareness about the safety, reliability, and easy availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. The specialists, who are working in tandem with the McHenry County Department of Health, can come to your business, at no charge, to encourage workers to get vaccinated!

If you’re interested, contact MCDH Public Health Nurse Carol Waggoner at 815-334-4580, or at CAWaggoner@mchenrycountyil.gov.

The return of Concerts in the Park

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to abate as more people get vaccinated, we’ve been highlighting the return of McHenry County’s iconic attractions.

Live music is roaring back in a big way! Ravinia, the nation’s oldest outdoor concert series, is returning, as is Riot Fest and Lollapalooza.

But you don’t have to head off to Chicago or Highland Park to enjoy live music.

The Crystal Lake Park District’s Concerts in the Park Series kicks off June 1 with a show at 7 p.m. each Tuesday through Aug. 10 at Mian Beach. And unlike the aforementioned Chicago-area venues, you can’t beat the price, because admission is free!

So pack a dinner, a blanket and enjoy some free musical entertainment – and celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Crystal Lake Park District! You can learn more, and see this year’s lineup, by visiting www.crystallakeparks.org/special-events.

We hope we got your attention. We need your help reaching more McHenry County residents and businesses to share this important information about the COVID-19 response and connect them with vital resources.

Please take these four steps:

1. Share/forward to your email/newsletter contacts.

2. Post information to your website.

3. Follow us on social media (see below); share our posts with your followers.

4. If you are not on the McHenry County Constant Contact list, please subscribe here

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Staying connected and informed is more important now than ever! Follow McHenry County on social media for regular updates on COVID-19 in our region, resources to help you navigate the pandemic, safety tips and more!

What is Resume McHenry County?

Resume McHenry County is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents. The goal is to ensure a successful reopening of our economy so that we can return to our lifestyles safely and responsibly.