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Illinois program

Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program

Illinois route through Cook County Bureau of Economic Development. This page stays free for the core public facts. Open paid access only when you need the full state board, related paths, and the decision layer around this program.

Forgivable second mortgage Forgivable if occupancy holds 2026-04-19
Agency Cook County Bureau of Economic Development
Support type Forgivable second mortgage
Amount highlight Subsidies equal to 5 percent of the home's sale price, up to $25,000, for down payment, closing costs, or mortgage buydowns.
Last verified 2026-04-19

Use carefully

Funding is currently paused

This page stays public because the official structure is still useful, but these details should not be flattened into fake certainty.

The county still publishes the structure and eligibility rules, but the official service page says the reopened program is currently out of funds and not accepting new applications.

Decision-ready public facts

What stays free on this program page

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Amount

Subsidies equal to 5 percent of the home's sale price, up to $25,000, for down payment, closing costs, or mortgage buydowns.

Type

Forgivable second mortgage

Forgivable second loan

Repayment

Cook County's June 2025 official news release says the assistance is provided as a forgivable second loan over a five-year term. The main service page currently warns that the program is out of funds and not accepting new applications.

First-time buyer

Not required

Program guide

What to know before you click through

This is still the free fact layer. Open the official source when a detail affects eligibility, repayment, lender choice, or whether this path should stay on your shortlist.

Who qualifies?

First-time homebuyers buying in Cook County, Repeat homebuyers buying in Cook County, Households earning up to 120 percent of Cook County AMI, Households buying in Disproportionately Impacted Areas or Qualified Census Tracts, where the county says no income limit applies

What support do you get?

Subsidies equal to 5 percent of the home's sale price, up to $25,000, for down payment, closing costs, or mortgage buydowns.

Do you repay it?

Cook County's June 2025 official news release says the assistance is provided as a forgivable second loan over a five-year term. The main service page currently warns that the program is out of funds and not accepting new applications.

How do you apply?

Watch the Cook County service page for funding re-openings, then apply through the county's Club 720 intake path with a participating lender and complete homebuyer education before closing if you are a first-time buyer.

Application timing

Applications are currently closed because program funds have been used; check Cook County or Club 720 for any reopening.

Official source evidence

The current Cook County service page says the program reopened in June 2025, is currently out of funds, and provides subsidies equal to 5 percent of the home's sale price up to $25,000. The June 2025 Cook County Board release says the assistance is structured as a forgivable second loan over a five-year term.

View official source

Last verified

2026-04-19

reopened June 2025; currently out of funds as of 2026-04-19

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What paid access adds for Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program

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Comparison preview

Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program

Amount: Subsidies equal to 5 percent of the home's sale price, up to $25,000, for down payment, closing costs, or mortgage buydowns.

Repayment: Cook County's June 2025 official news release says the assistance is provided as a forgivable second loan over a five-year term. The main service page currently warns that the program is out of funds and not accepting new applications.

First-time buyer: Not required

Timing: Applications are currently closed because program funds have been used; check Cook County or Club 720 for any reopening.

Risk checks preview

What gets flagged before you call a lender

  • Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program requires a participating lender.

Lender questions preview

Questions tied to this exact path

  • Is your team approved to originate Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program for this household and loan setup?
  • Which document version should control Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program right now: program guide, fact sheet, or lender packet?

Action checklist preview

What you would do next

  • Review the official Cook County service page for Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program
  • Ask whether your lender is approved for this exact program and loan structure.
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What unlocks after payment

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city and county programs

City and county down payment or closing-cost programs that never make it into the free statewide layer.

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specialty and conditional paths

Conditional, paused, or specialty paths worth checking before you assume the state is a dead end.

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