CalFresh benefits denied because I live in Section 8 housing - how do they calculate income?

yeah the same thing happend to me last yr. They told me my section 8 was 'income' which makes NO sense!!

There's a common misunderstanding here. Section 8 housing assistance is NOT counted as income for CalFresh eligibility. However, they do look at your gross income ($2,950) and compare it to the program limits. For a household of 3 in 2025, the gross monthly income limit is approximately $3,250, so you should actually qualify. My guess is there was an error in your application or the worker miscalculated something. Did you include both your children as part of your household? Did you list any other income sources they might have misinterpreted?

I'd recommend filing an appeal right away rather than reapplying. You only have 90 days from the date on your denial notice to request a fair hearing. The bonus might have temporarily pushed your income up, but they're supposed to consider your ongoing income for eligibility. Make sure you explain in your appeal that the bonus was a one-time thing.

Just went through this!!! The most important thing is to file that appeal FAST and then try calling your caseworker EVERY DAY to explain the situation. I was calling for two weeks straight and couldn't get through to anyone until I found this service called Claimyr. It lets you skip the phone wait times when calling CalFresh - they call and wait on hold for you, then connect you when a real person answers. Seriously saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 that shows how it works. Once I finally got through to my worker, they fixed my case in like 5 minutes!

the WHOLE system is designed to keep poor people poor. they PURPOSELY make these rules confusing so you'll give up. I was on Section 8 for 6 years and CalFresh for 4 and CONSTANTLY had to fight with them about income calculations. They once counted my 16yo daughter's part-time job at McDonalds and cut my benefits!!! HAD TO APPEAL!!! These caseworkers don't care and half of them don't even know their own rules!!!

I'm on both Section 8 and CalFresh right now. Make sure when you're filling out the application that you're really clear about which income is regular and which was just one-time. I also had to provide my last 4 pay stubs to prove what my regular income was. Do you have any other expenses like childcare or medical expenses? Those can be deducted and might help you qualify.

That childcare deduction is HUGE and will almost certainly make you eligible! For CalFresh, they subtract your childcare expenses from your income before determining eligibility. With $780 in childcare expenses, your adjusted income for CalFresh would only be about $2,170, which is well below the limit for a family of 3. When you file your appeal, bring documentation of your childcare expenses (receipts, contract with provider, etc.). This alone should resolve your case. And yes, make sure to explain that the $550 bonus was a one-time occurrence, not part of your regular monthly income.

my sister works for the county and says they're super backed up right now with calfresh applications so sometimes they just deny things without looking closely if theres any question... its not right but thats what happens. definitely appeal and get through to a real person who can review your case properly

UPDATE: I used that Claimyr service to get through to my caseworker (it really worked!) and explained about the childcare expenses and one-time bonus. She was actually really helpful once I got her on the phone. She said I should definitely qualify and helped me file an appeal. She's also expediting my case because of my situation with the kids. Thanks everyone for your help! Will update again when I hear back.

So glad you got through to someone who could help! This is exactly why I always tell people to keep pushing when they get denied - there are so many mistakes made during the initial review process. The fact that you weren't asked about childcare expenses on your original application is a red flag that the caseworker didn't do their job properly. Those deductions can make or break eligibility for families like yours. Fingers crossed your appeal goes through quickly and you get approved with backpay!

This is such an important thread for anyone dealing with CalFresh denials! I'm a case manager at a local food assistance nonprofit and I see this exact situation ALL the time. The biggest issue is that many caseworkers don't ask the right questions during the initial application review. They're required to ask about dependent care expenses, medical costs, and shelter expenses that can be deducted, but it often gets missed in the rush to process applications. For anyone reading this - ALWAYS mention childcare costs, even if you think they won't count. Also, if you get denied, don't just reapply right away - appeal first because you keep your place in line and they have to do a more thorough review. And definitely keep all your documentation organized (pay stubs, childcare receipts, medical bills) because you'll need them for the appeal process.