The State of Illinois is relaunching a homeownership program designed to help working-class families throughout the state of Illinois. Offered through the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), the Opening Doors or Abriendo Puertas program is designed to aid households who have historically faced steeper barriers in their path toward homeownership with $6,000 in forgivable assistance for down payment and/or closing costs. This latest round of assistance is funded through $20 million in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act and appropriated to IHDA from the Illinois General Assembly. IHDA expects to assist more than 3,000 homebuyers. IHDA will provide a 30-year 1st mortgage with a competitive fixed interest rate and $6,000 in down payment and/or closing cost assistance. The down payment assistance is forgiven on a monthly basis over a five-year forgiveness period, and no monthly payment is due from the borrower. Borrowers must meet all eligibility requirements established for IHDA’s down payment assistance programs, and homebuyer education is required. Opening Doors is available to both first-time and repeat buyers, may be used by buyers in any county in the state, and can be used in conjunction with other down payment assistance programs to increase homebuyer leverage. Eligibility for each product is based on the borrower’s credit profile, household income and the purchase price of the home. Interested homebuyers can find additional information and a list of participating lenders at www.ihdamortgage.org.