(305 ILCS 5/4-12) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-12)
    Sec. 4-12. Crisis assistance. Where a family has been (1) rendered homeless or threatened with homelessness by fire, flood, other natural disaster, eviction or court order to vacate the premises for reasons other than nonpayment of rent, or where a family has become homeless because they have left their residence due to domestic or sexual violence; (1.5) deprived of the household's income as a result of domestic or sexual violence; (2) deprived of essential items of furniture or essential clothing by fire or flood or other natural disaster; (3) deprived of food as a result of actions other than loss or theft of cash and where the deprivation cannot be promptly alleviated through the federal food stamp program; (4) as a result of a documented theft or documented loss of cash, deprived of food or essential clothing or deprived of shelter or immediately threatened with deprivation of shelter as evidenced by a court order requiring immediate eviction due to nonpayment of rent; or (5) rendered the victim of such other hardships as the Illinois Department shall by rule define, the Illinois Department may provide assistance to alleviate such needs. The Illinois Department shall verify need and determine eligibility for crisis assistance for families already receiving grants from the Illinois Department within 5 working days following application for such assistance and shall determine eligibility for all other families and afford such assistance for families found eligible within such time limits as the Illinois Department shall by rule provide. The Illinois Department may, by rule, limit crisis assistance to an eligible family to once in any 12 consecutive months. This limitation may be made for some or all items of crisis assistance.
    The Illinois Department by regulation shall specify the criteria for determining eligibility and the amount and nature of assistance to be provided. Where deprivation of shelter exists or is threatened, the Illinois Department may provide reasonable moving expenses, short term rental costs, including one month's rent and a security deposit where such expenses are needed for relocation, and, where the Department determines appropriate, provide assistance to prevent an imminent eviction or foreclosure. These amounts may be described in established amounts or maximums. The Illinois Department may also describe, for each form of assistance authorized, the method by which the assistance shall be delivered, including but not limited to warrants or disbursing orders.
    Annual expenditures under this Section shall not exceed $2,000,000. The Illinois Department shall review such expenditures quarterly and shall, if necessary, reduce the amounts or nature of assistance authorized in order to assure that the limit is not exceeded.
(Source: P.A. 96-866, eff. 7-1-10.)