Housing Support
For All Survivors of Violent Crimes
- Crime Victims Compensation → Provides compensation for temporary lodge or relocation. Relocation costs are limited to one month’s rent and security deposits.
- Victims Economic Safety and Security Act → Ensures temporary leave from work to relocate or develop a safety plan.
- Violent Crime Witness Protection Act → May cover emergency or temporary living costs, moving expense, rent, utilities, security deposits for rent and utilities, and other relocation or transition expenses.
- Homelessness Prevention Act → May provide payment of rent/mortgage, security deposits, payment of utilities, and support service to prevent homelessness.
For Survivors of Domestic Violence and Family Violence
- Safe Homes Act → Tenant can request the locks of a dwelling be changed if the request is accompanied by some evidence of domestic/sexual violence including medical, court, or police records.
- Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, or Stalking Act → Victims may apply to the Attorney Generals office to have their address be made confidential, designating the office as their mailing address.
- Deferral of Deposit → Allows people to defer the initial credit and deposit requirement for rent/utilities for 60 days.
- Affirmative Defense for Violence → A tenant is protected in any action brought by a landlord/ housing owner to recover rent for a breach of lease if the tenant presents evidence of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual violence.
For Survivors of Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking
- Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education → Provides individuals the right to request protective measures and accommodations including changes to living, dining, working and transportation services.
- Affirmative Defense for Violence → A tenant is protected in any action brought by a landlord/ housing owner to recover rent for a breach of lease if the tenant presents evidence of actual or threatened domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual violence.
For Elderly Survivors
- Adult Protective Services Act → When an incident of abuse, abandonment, or neglect occurs the individual who experienced it may be at least temporarily rehoused.
- Abused and Neglected Long Term Care Facility Residents Reporting Act → Ensures temporary leave to relocate or safety plan.
Review Your Rights
As a survivor of violence in Illinois, these are your rights on both a state and federal level.
What Do You Need?
As a survivor of violence in Illinois, you may be eligible for support with financial needs, housing, medical costs, mental health services, funeral or burial costs, relocation costs, and more. Based on what happened to you, you may be eligible for different services and supports. Click here to see which policies can provide access to these supports.
Eligibility and Access
Policies outlining rights and services afforded to crime victims often involve definitions of who is considered a victim and what they must do to access services. Read through this section to better understand how to navigate policies intended to support survivors.
Illinois Policies
Here you can find a complete listing of Illinois policies related to services or supports available to crime victims. Each of these policies that enables access to services has eligibility requirements. Please use the hyperlinks available to review the eligibility requirements.