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Contract Shelter Providers
Contract monies paid to the “homeless” shelter providers are separate from CalWORKs or Homeless Assistance (HA) funds. Santa Clara County has a contract with many homeless shelter providers.
Shelter Referral
Contract shelter providers refer homeless families to the Social Services Agency (SSA) to apply for CalWORKs and HA. The shelter providers request each CalWORKs applicant/recipient to sign an agreement to have their HA payment(s) made payable by vendor directly to the shelter. Vendor payments made payable to contract shelter providers must be computer-generated and mailed, and must NOT be given to the applicant/recipient to hand carry.
HA Payments for Clients in a Shelter
Even though shelter providers ask their clients to sign an agreement to have their HA payment made payable to the shelter, the client has the right to have the HA payment made payable to themselves, unless there is a presumption of mismanagement of CalWORKs.
If the client requests that the HA payment be made payable to themselves, the EW must explain to the client that refusing to make the shelter provider a payee may create a problem with the contract shelter provider. Make sure that the client knows that it will be necessary to verify the amount of the shelter costs paid before a second or subsequent HA payment can be issued.
If the client agrees to make the shelter provider the payee of their HA payment, the amount of the vendor payment made payable to the shelter must be the cost of the shelter or the maximum amount available in the HA Program, whichever is less. If the vendor payment is less than the maximum amount available under the HA Program, the balance will be made payable to the client.
Related Topics
Homeless Assistance Program Eligibility
Homeless Assistance Exceptions
Homeless Assistance Application
Homeless Assistance Payment Information
Expanded Temporary Homeless Assistance