Homelessness Due to State or Federally Declared Disaster

Timely Access to and Issuance of CalWORKs HA Benefits

Families must maintain the ability to apply for Homeless Assistance (HA) benefits during normal business hours and receive those benefits timely. The payment for Temporary Homeless Assistance (THA) must be approved and issued or denied within the same working day in which the family requests THA. This means that the family requesting THA must have these benefits issued and available on the same day their application is approved. For Permanent Homeless Assistance (PHA), the payment must be issued or denied by the next working day.

Whenever the client's homelessness is a direct result of a state or federally declared disaster (including but not limited to natural, chemical, terrorist, or biological disasters), the client may be determined eligible for either, or both, THA and PHA. All eligibility factors for THA and/or PHA must be met before payment is issued. A family applying for HA as a result of any state or federally declared disaster shall provide a sworn statement that the family is experiencing homelessness as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared disaster through the Statement of Facts - Homeless Assistance (CW 42) form. Social Services Benefits Specialists (SSBSs) are required to accept the sworn statement for verification of homelessness, and additional verification is not required.

Administrative Flexibilities for Issuing HA Benefits

The following rules apply to clients who become homeless as a direct result of a state or federally declared disaster:

  • These families qualify for good cause for failure to provide proof of housing search.
  • The county may know that many families were displaced by disaster that was declared by the Governor, and that the Assistance Unit (AU) may have to travel quite a distance to find an available motel. The county may issue the AU the entire 16 days of THA on the day they apply.
  • There is no limit on how many times a family can receive HA due to a state or federally declared disaster in any given year.
  • When the AU receives HA based on a state or federally declared disaster, it does not count as their regular once every 12 months HA benefit or their once every 12 months limit on exceptions.
  • A sworn statement may be accepted as verification that HA benefits were spent appropriately, or good cause may be granted for not providing paper verification, such as motel receipts.
  • HA applications are not required to be made in person or to include a face-to-face interview. The CW 42 may be completed on behalf of a family, and electronic signatures are always an allowable option.

AB 607 requires the county to identify and inform recipients of their eligibility for CalWORKs THA and PHA.

Note: Families should be referred to the CalWORKs Housing Support Program whenever a family applies for HA.

In the CalSAWS Case Flag page, select:

  • THA State/Fed Disaster-SB1065 for THA
  • PHA State/Fed Disaster-SB1065 for PHA.

Example Example A recipient applies for THA, stating that their apartment is uninhabitable due to damage caused by an earthquake. The SSBS receives the completed CW 42. All other THA eligibility factors are met, and the SSBS issues the THA payments as appropriate.

Related Topics

Federal/State Declared Disasters - Applications

Federal/State Disasters - Questions & Answers