Homeless Shelters

Definition

A homeless shelter is a public or private-nonprofit establishment that temporarily houses homeless persons.

A homeless shelter, may also be considered a homeless meal provider, which is a public or private-nonprofit establishment such as a soup kitchen or temporary shelter that feeds homeless people. Meals served must include food purchased by the homeless meal provider.

In order to be eligible to use CalFresh benefits at a homeless meal provider, individuals must meet the definition of homeless. For more on Homeless Households, refer to Definition [63-102(h)(2)].

The homeless meal provider may only request voluntary use of CalFresh benefits from homeless recipients to pay for meals. If requested, the homeless meal provider cannot ask the recipients to pay more than the average cost of meals at the shelter.

Note: If non-CalFresh recipient clients of the homeless meal provider have the option to eat free or make monetary donation, the same option must be made available to CalFresh recipients.

Important: Homeless meal providers, including those that are also shelters for the homeless, may not designate an employee to act as a CalFresh AR.

Group Living Arrangements

Definition [63-402.4]

A GLA is a public or private-nonprofit residential home for disabled or blind individuals that serves no more than 16 residents.

A GLA must be certified by CDSS that it is operating under section 1616(e) of the Social Security Act or authorized by FNS as a retailer.

A GLA resident must be disabled or blind as defined by CalFresh and if otherwise eligible may receive CalFresh.

Note: Residents of private for-profit GLAs are not eligible to receive CalFresh benefits.

Application

The group facility determines how a resident should apply based on the resident's physical and mental ability:

Through an AR employed and designated by the group living arrangements, or
On their own or through an AR of their choice.

HH Composition

When the facility's AR applies for a resident, then the resident will be a one person household.

Residents who apply on their own will have their household size based on how they purchase and prepare their food.

Reporting Responsibilities

If the resident made the application on their own behalf, the resident is responsible for reporting changes.

If the group living arrangement has a person acting in the capacity of an AR, that person shall notify the County of changes in the household's income, household circumstances, and when an individual leaves the group residence.

Each group living facility must provide the County with a list of currently participating residents.

County Responsibilities

The county must conduct periodic random on-site visits to assure the accuracy of the list of CalFresh recipients provided by the group home.

HH Leaves the Residence [63-503.485]

When a CalFresh recipient leaves a group living arrangement:

The facility must return all CalFresh benefits received after the household has left.
The facility must give the resident any CalFresh benefits not spent on behalf of that household.

If the entire month’s CalFresh benefits have already been transferred by the facility, and the HOUSEHOLD LEAVES PRIOR TO THE 16TH DAY OF THE MONTH, the facility must return one-half of the monthly allotment to the resident by swiping the EBT card and posting a credit back to the EBT account.

If the household leaves on or after the 16th of the month, the household does not receive any of the months CalFresh benefits. The facility must return any remaining CalFresh benefits to the County.

The facility should, if possible, provide:

A household with a change report form (CF 23 CR) to report to the EW the individual's new address and other changes and advise the household to return the form to the EW within 10 days. However, the household is responsible for reporting the changes to the EW.

(If a recipient has an AR, either the AR or the recipient, or both may sign the SAR 7.)