City taking applications for spreading word on tax rebate

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has promised to encourage Chicagoans to claim their share of a modest $ 20 million property tax rebate, instead of offering the relief for political cover and secretly hoping they don’t apply.

On Tuesday, Emanuel took the first step to cast the broadest possible net.

City Hall released a “request for proposals” from not- for- profit groups interested in getting the word out about the rebate and pro- cessing applications during a twomonth period that will start Oct. 1 and end on Nov. 30.

Applications will be accepted at City Hall and at as many as 20 neighborhood locations, primarily libraries and senior citizens centers, from 10 a. m. to 7 p. m. on weekdays and from 11 a. m. to 6 p. m. on Saturdays.

Rebate checks — averaging $ 150 for the 155,000 eligible households and up to $ 300 for seniors whose equalized assessed value has increased by 30 percent — will be delivered at the end of December and continuing through January.

In other words, don’t count on getting the check in time to do your Christmas shopping.

In addition to the outreach conducted by community- based organizations and aldermanic offices, the city plans to get the word out about the rebate by using 28 digital billboards as well as advertising on bus shelters and sidewalk information panels.

Some paid advertising is also planned in the Chicago Defender and other community- based newspapers.

To appease aldermen whose phones have been ringing off the hook from angry homeowners with soaring property tax bills, Emanuel agreed to sweeten the pot for seniors by $ 50.

He also added an “extraordinary hardship” clause that allows Budget Director Alex Holt to issue rebates that exceed the maximum ceiling — $ 200 for the average household and $ 350 for seniors — if homeowners are in danger of losing their homes because of the double- whammy of rising property taxes and increased assessments. The enhanced grant “shall not exceed the amount of that homeowner’s property tax in- crease,” the ordinance states.

The RFP issued Tuesday includes an “Extreme Hardship factors questionnaire” that asks homeowners whether their 2015 adjusted gross income was less than $ 15,000; whether they participate in the Circuit- Breaker, food stamp, or LIHEAP programs; and whether they receive a disability award from Social Security.

The $ 20 million cost of the rebates assumes that every one of the roughly 155,000 eligible households with incomes under $ 75,000 takes advantage of the city’s offer.