Like many Midwest industrial states, Illinois has been especially hard-hit during the nation's recent sustained economic downturn. Housing prices in Illinois have fallen as well as the number of people who qualify for mortgages. In order to help, the state of Illinois provides quite a few home loans and rehabilitation programs aimed at assisting first time home buyers secure home loans, current homeowners pay for rehabilitation, and in preventing foreclosure for those who can no longer afford their monthly mortgage payments.