This thread is absolutely incredible and shows exactly why communities like this are so important! As someone who's been on CalFresh for about 6 months, I had no idea that reporting housing cost changes mid-period could make such a significant difference in benefits. Reading Dmitry's success story - going from $72 to potentially $117-132 per month - is honestly inspiring and shows that the system can work when you know how to navigate it properly. What really stands out to me is how many people were hesitant to report changes because they thought it wouldn't be worth the hassle or wouldn't make a difference. But seeing the real numbers people are sharing here proves that understanding things like the excess shelter deduction can be life-changing when you're food insecure. The fact that several newcomers like Romeo, Zoe, Genevieve, Amara, and Freya found the courage to take action after reading this conversation shows the real power of peer support and shared experiences. I'm also dealing with rising housing costs (my rent went up $150 last month) and was just planning to wait until my next recertification. But after reading all these success stories and learning about the different reporting methods, I'm definitely going to report the increase this week. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, tips, and encouragement - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that makes navigating CalFresh so much less overwhelming!

This thread has been such an eye-opener for me as someone who just started receiving CalFresh a few weeks ago! I'm currently getting $95/month and honestly thought that was just what I was stuck with until my next review. Reading about Dmitry's success going from $72 to potentially $117-132 has completely changed my understanding of how this system works. My rent just increased $180 last week and I was dreading how I was going to manage, but now I realize I should be reporting this change instead of just accepting the financial hit. The detailed explanations about shelter deductions and excess housing costs make so much more sense now - I had no idea these calculations could work in my favor when housing costs go up. What really strikes me is how many people in similar situations have found success by simply knowing to report these changes and having the right documentation ready. I'm definitely going to try the BenefitsCal online method first since several people mentioned it's less frustrating than the phone system. Thank you all for sharing such specific, practical advice - it's given me hope that I can actually get the food assistance I need to make it through this rent increase!

Pro tip: If you're having trouble finding the pending deposit info on BenefitsCal, try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser. The site can be glitchy sometimes. Also, the pending amounts usually show up around the 3rd of each month for mid-month deposits and around the 18th for end-of-month deposits. If you still can't see it after a few days, definitely call your county office - sometimes there are technical issues on their end that prevent the info from displaying properly.

Just wanted to add that if you have the ConnectEBT app (the official one), they recently added a "Benefit Schedule" feature that shows your deposit dates for the next 3 months. It doesn't always show the exact dollar amount like BenefitsCal does, but it's super convenient for planning when your benefits will hit. You can find it under the "More" tab at the bottom of the app. Also, if you're getting SNAP Emergency Allotments or any special pandemic benefits, those sometimes show up separately from your regular CalFresh amount, so don't be confused if you see multiple pending deposits listed!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who's been on CalFresh for a couple years now - everyone here has given you solid advice! That $425 rent increase is rough but you're definitely handling it right by checking here first. I've made the mistake of panic-calling the office before when I wasn't sure about reporting rules and ended up wasting hours on hold for nothing. From what I've learned, you're totally safe waiting until your SAR7 in October since you're under your IRT, but given how much your rent went up, reporting early through BenefitsCal could really boost your monthly benefits. I had a smaller rent increase last year ($200) and still got an extra $45/month in benefits when I reported it. With Bay Area prices being what they are, every extra dollar helps! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share my recent experience since it might help! I just went through reporting a rent increase ($380/month) through BenefitsCal last month and the process was actually pretty straightforward. Took about 10 days to get approved and my benefits went up by $68/month. The key things that helped me: 1) I uploaded a clear photo of my rent increase notice, 2) I included a brief explanation in the comments section about what changed, and 3) I checked my account every few days for updates. One tip - if you don't hear back within 2 weeks, definitely follow up because sometimes things get stuck in the system. With your $425 increase, you'll probably see a decent boost in benefits that'll help with those grocery costs. The online portal is definitely the way to go over calling!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got my CalFresh approval 8 days ago and my PIN arrived yesterday, but still no EBT card. As a first-time applicant, I was getting really worried that I'd somehow messed up my application or missed a step. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like the 10-14 business day wait is completely normal right now, even though they don't really explain that during the application process. The tip about the plain white envelope is so important - I definitely would have thrown that away thinking it was junk mail! I'm going to wait until next week before calling, but it's good to know about that EBT customer service number to check if the card was actually issued. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and advice - this community has been way more helpful than any of the official information I received. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one going through this waiting game!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Got my CalFresh approval 6 days ago and received my PIN this morning, but still waiting on the EBT card. This thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea the card would come separately or that these delays were so common! As a first-time applicant, I was starting to panic thinking I'd done something wrong in my application. The tip about the plain white envelope is crucial because I definitely would have assumed it was junk mail and thrown it away. I'm going to be extra careful checking my mail now and wait until at least the 10 business day mark before calling. It's so reassuring to know from everyone's experiences that the 10-14 day timeline is completely normal right now, even though it feels like forever when you're trying to budget for groceries. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and practical advice - this community has been way more helpful than any of the official information I received during the application process!

I'm a new member here but I've been lurking and reading everyone's advice - you all are so knowledgeable and supportive! I haven't experienced this exact situation with CalFresh, but I did have something similar happen with Medi-Cal where I got approved and then denied within the same week due to a "system processing error." From everything I'm reading in this thread, it really sounds like your approval notice is the legitimate one, especially since it has such specific details like the exact benefit amount and your certification period. That level of detail typically means a caseworker actually reviewed and processed your application properly. I just wanted to add one thing I learned from my Medi-Cal experience - when you call on Monday, if possible try to get the direct phone number or extension for the worker who did your original interview. Sometimes calling the main line means you get routed to whoever is available, but if you can reach your original worker, they'll already be familiar with your case and can probably resolve this much faster. Also, document everything from your phone call - get the name of who you speak with, what they tell you, and any reference numbers they give you. If for some reason this doesn't get resolved immediately, having that documentation will be helpful if you need to escalate further. Sending you positive thoughts for Monday's call! Based on all the success stories in this thread, it sounds like this is definitely fixable and you'll have your benefits soon. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help! I actually work at a legal aid clinic and we help people with CalFresh issues like this pretty regularly. What you're describing is unfortunately super common - we probably see 2-3 cases like this every month where people get conflicting notices due to system glitches or processing errors. The good news is that in almost every case we've handled, the approval notice (especially one with specific benefit amounts and dates like yours) turns out to be correct. One thing I'd suggest when you call Monday is to specifically ask them to pull up your "case narrative" or "case chronology" - this shows a timeline of everything that happened with your case and often reveals exactly when and why the conflicting notices were generated. Sometimes you can even see notes like "documents verified by worker" followed by "automated denial triggered by verification module" which makes it crystal clear what went wrong. Also, if you run into any roadblocks getting this resolved, many counties have a CalFresh Ombudsman or Client Services unit that can escalate these kinds of system errors more quickly than going through regular channels. Don't hesitate to ask about that option if needed. Your situation sounds very fixable - stay persistent and don't let them brush you off! The fact that you submitted everything at your interview and the worker confirmed it was complete should make this a straightforward resolution.