3-day eviction notice with new CalWorks approval - can rental assistance help in time?

your 3 day notice isn't actually a court order yet, so you've still got some time. once the 3 days pass, the landlord has to file an unlawful detainer which takes another couple weeks before you'd actually get evicted. not ideal but you're not gonna be out on the street tomorrow if that helps

CalWorks Housing Support Program (HSP) can help with rental assistance in San Joaquin County, but unfortunately it's typically not processed within 3 days. However, like the previous commenter mentioned, the eviction process takes longer than just the 3-day notice period. There are a few things you should do immediately: 1. Contact your local HSP office directly at (209) 468-1000 - don't just rely on your caseworker 2. Bring your 3-day notice, CalWorks approval, and proof of income to demonstrate emergency need 3. Ask about their Homeless Assistance program which can provide temporary rental payments in emergency situations 4. Contact local non-profits like St. Mary's Dining Room or the Gospel Center Rescue Mission which sometimes have emergency funds Based on my experience working with families in similar situations, you should also write a letter to your landlord explaining that you're actively seeking assistance and have been approved for benefits. Some landlords will work with you if they know funds are coming.

i went thru somthing like this last year. the paperwork takes FOREVER and they make u jump through so many hoops it's ridiculous. make sure u have ALL ur documents with u when u go in - lease, id, birth certificates, income proof, bank statements, everything! they turned me away twice for missing stuff and i had to start over. total nightmare

I got rental help through CalWorks last year but it took almost 2 weeks to process. Honestly your best bet is showing your landlord the CalWorks approval letter and asking for an extension. Most landlords would rather wait than go through eviction costs.

To specifically answer your question: Yes, CalWorks can provide emergency rental assistance in San Joaquin County through their Homeless Assistance program, but it's rarely processed within 3 days. However, as others mentioned, the 3-day notice is just the first step in a longer eviction process. The Homeless Assistance program provides: - Up to 16 days of temporary shelter assistance - Permanent housing assistance (security deposits, utility deposits, last month's rent) - Moving assistance You need to specifically request the "immediate need" payment option when you apply. Make sure your caseworker marks your case as an emergency eviction situation. If you're having trouble reaching your caseworker, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person at San Joaquin County CalWorks. They can connect you with a live representative without the endless hold times. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 Also contact the Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin at (209) 460-5000 as they have additional emergency housing resources outside of CalWorks.

It's weird how CalWorks and CalFresh are so connected but also separate??? I got CalFresh benefits way faster than CalWorks when I applied. Have you applied for CalFresh too? Might help free up some money for rent if you can use benefits for food instead.

have u tryed 211??? they can sometimes hook u up with emergency rental $$ from local churches and stuff. might be faster than waiting for the county to get their act together

Just wanted to follow up - the Homeless Assistance program is part of CalWorks but it's a specific benefit you need to request. It's different from regular CalWorks cash aid. Also, make sure to ask about Permanent Homeless Assistance vs. Temporary Homeless Assistance. Since you have housing you're trying to keep, you'd want the Permanent assistance which can help prevent eviction. One more thing: when you visit the office, bring a copy of your lease, the 3-day notice, ID for everyone in your household, proof of income, and bank statements. Having complete documentation will speed things up considerably.

When I got my 3 day notice last year I called legal aid and they told me my rights. Might be worth doing that too just so you know the timeline. I ended up having almost a month before anything serious happened.

I don't know if this helps, but back when I was on CalWorks (2024), I had trouble with rent and found out that Catholic Charities has an emergency rental assistance program that processes WAY faster than the county. They helped me within 48 hours. Might be worth checking if they operate in San Joaquin.

Another thing to consider - if you're still having trouble getting through to your caseworker, you can also contact the San Joaquin County CalWorks Fraud Hotline at (209) 468-3834. I know it sounds weird but they can sometimes transfer you to a supervisor who can expedite emergency situations. I had to do this once when my worker went on vacation and no one else would help me with an urgent issue. Also, if you have any documentation about your attempts to contact your caseworker (like timestamps of calls or emails), bring those with you tomorrow. Shows you've been trying to work within the system and might help your case for emergency assistance.

Something else that might help while you're waiting on the county - check if your city has a tenant's rights hotline. In my experience, they can sometimes contact landlords directly and explain the eviction timeline, which might buy you more time. Also, don't forget to document EVERYTHING - take photos of the 3-day notice, keep copies of all paperwork, and write down every phone call you make with times and dates. If this does end up going to court (which hopefully it won't!), having a paper trail shows you've been proactive about trying to resolve the situation. The judge will see that you got CalWorks approved and are actively seeking rental assistance. Hang in there - it sounds like you're doing everything right in a really stressful situation.

I went through something very similar in Stockton last year! One thing that really helped me was contacting the San Joaquin County Emergency Rental Assistance Program directly - they're separate from CalWorks and sometimes process faster. Their number is (209) 953-3208. Also, if you haven't already, try reaching out to the Salvation Army's Emergency Services - they helped me with a partial rent payment while I was waiting for my CalWorks rental assistance to go through. The combination of getting help from multiple sources ended up covering my full back rent. Don't give up - there are more resources available than most people realize, you just have to keep calling around. The 3-day notice is scary but you have more time than it seems like to get help lined up.

Just wanted to add another resource that might help - if you have kids in school, check with their school counselor or main office. A lot of schools have emergency funds or connections to local organizations that can help families avoid homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Act actually requires schools to help students who are at risk of becoming homeless, and sometimes they have access to emergency rental assistance that processes really quickly. My sister got help through her kid's elementary school when she was facing eviction and they connected her with a local foundation that paid her rent within 48 hours. Worth a shot while you're waiting on all the other applications to process!

Hey Anna, I just went through this exact situation in Fresno County a few months ago and wanted to share what ended up working for me. While you're pursuing all the CalWorks options (which you absolutely should!), also try contacting 211 and specifically ask about the "Coordinated Entry System" for housing assistance. They have access to a database of emergency funds from different agencies that aren't always well-publicized. When I called, they connected me with three different organizations I'd never heard of, and one of them (a local church coalition) was able to cut a check directly to my landlord within 24 hours. The key is to explain that you have children and are newly approved for benefits - they prioritize families with kids who are actively working with the system. Also, when you talk to your landlord, mention that you're documented with multiple agencies seeking assistance - sometimes they'll accept a partial payment if they know more money is coming through official channels. Don't lose hope, there really are more safety nets than it initially seems like!