CalFresh benefits suddenly dropped from $189 to $29 - co-owned home with disabled daughter on SSI

it sounds like they misunderstood your housing situation and think she lives with you for free. i had somethin similar happen with my mom last yr. CalFresh dosen't recognize co-ownership very well in their system sometimes. You NEED to get her to contact her caseworker ASAP and clarify that she pays half the mortgage!! They might need proof like bank statements showing the transfers or checks. make sure u emphasis that u both OWN the home together not that she just pays u rent.

This is a classic case of incorrect expense reporting in the CalFresh system. When your daughter receives SSI, CalFresh applies special rules for calculation, but they absolutely should be counting her housing expenses correctly. Here's what happened: 1. They likely categorized your living arrangement incorrectly as her living with you cost-free instead of as co-owners 2. The $360 utility figure is suspicious - it might be that they're applying the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) for 2025 incorrectly to her case 3. The new EBT card issuance is unrelated - that's just coincidental timing Your daughter should immediately: - Request a fair hearing (you have 90 days from the notice date) - Contact her caseworker directly to explain the co-ownership situation - Provide documentation showing she pays half the mortgage (bank statements, canceled checks) - Bring property documents showing co-ownership In California, mortgage payments are a deductible housing cost that should significantly increase her benefit amount when calculated correctly. The difference between $189 and $29 is consistent with them removing her housing expense deduction.

geting ahold of calfresh is a NIGHTMARE these days!!! i spent 3 days trying to reach someone at the county last month for my recert and kept getting disconnected. finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a worker in like 20 minutes. they called on my behalf nd stayed on hold so i didnt have to. my friend told me about it - check out the demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or their website claimyr.com btw ur daughters case sounds like a data entry error. they probably checked the wrong box in their system for her living situation.

For a person receiving SSI with a disability, housing costs are extremely important for CalFresh benefit calculation. The reduction from $189 to $29 is mathematically consistent with them removing her shelter deduction. California CalFresh uses the following formula: - Maximum allotment for household of 1 (2025): $291 - 30% of net income is subtracted from this maximum When they don't count her housing costs, her net income appears higher, resulting in a much lower benefit. The fact that the letter specifically mentions "pays no rent" confirms this is the issue. I recommend: 1. File for a state hearing immediately (form DPA 479) 2. Request aid continuation while the hearing is pending 3. Gather mortgage statements, property deed showing co-ownership, and bank statements showing her payments 4. Submit a SAR 3 (Mid-Period Report) with the correct housing information The county should make corrections and issue retroactive benefits for any months she received the reduced amount. Don't delay - the hearing request deadline is strict.

OMG THE EXACT SAME THING happened to me!!! I'm not disabled but I co-own with my sister and they suddenly decided I wasn't paying rent even though I PAY HALF THE MORTGAGE EVERY MONTH!!! I was getting $200+ and then suddenly $41!!! The system is BROKEN and they don't listen!!! I called FIFTEEN TIMES and kept getting disconnected or put on eternal hold!!! I had to go IN PERSON to the county office and bring my deed and bank statements. It took them 3 WEEKS to fix and I almost couldn't afford groceries. They NEVER apologized and acted like I should be grateful they fixed THEIR mistake!!! DEFINITELY request a hearing RIGHT AWAY because that's the only way to get them to take it seriously!!! The regular workers just put you off!!!!!

sounds like they think shes not paying rent or mortgage. pretty common mistake in their system. my mom and i had same problem when we bought a duplex together. had to bring in the deed that showed both our names plus bank stuff showing we both paid.

One additional point - when you contact the county, specifically request they update both the shelter costs AND the Standard Utility Allowance (SUA). For 2025, California uses a SUA of $487 for CalFresh calculations when households pay heating/cooling costs. This is likely where the incorrect $360 figure came from - an outdated or incorrect utility allowance. If your daughter's case includes both the correct mortgage payment ($450) AND the correct SUA ($487), her CalFresh benefits should increase significantly - possibly even higher than the previous $189 amount depending on other deductions she might qualify for.

also make sure when u guys call that u mention ur daughters disabled. there are some special rules for disabled people on SSI with calfresh. i forget exactly what they are but i know theres something bout medical expenses deduction if she has any out of pocket costs after medi-cal.

my sister gets SSI and had calfresh issues too. they always messin up disabled peoples benefits!!!! take someone with u to the county office if u go in person. they treat u better when u have a witness lol

I'm a CalFresh eligibility worker and I see this mistake happen frequently with co-ownership situations. The system defaults to assuming people living together have one person paying all housing costs, so your daughter's case likely got miscoded as "lives with parent, pays no rent." Here's exactly what you need to do: 1. **Call immediately** and ask to speak to a supervisor - don't accept being put off by the first worker you reach 2. **Bring these documents**: Property deed showing both names, mortgage statements, bank records showing her $450 monthly payments from her account 3. **Request a fair hearing TODAY** - don't wait for the phone call to work out, you can always withdraw it later 4. **Ask for aid continuation** during the hearing process so her benefits don't stay at $29 The good news is this should be a relatively quick fix once you get the right person to look at it. With her SSI income of $1155 and legitimate housing costs of $450 plus utilities, she should qualify for significantly more than even the original $189. One tip: when you call, immediately say "I need to report a change in housing expenses for case number [her case number]" - this gets you to the right department faster than explaining the whole situation to the screener.

I'm so sorry your daughter is dealing with this! As someone who recently went through a similar CalFresh issue, I can tell you that documentation is absolutely key. When I had my benefits incorrectly reduced, I had to provide: 1. Bank statements showing the mortgage payments coming from her account (at least 3 months) 2. Copy of the property deed with both names 3. The actual mortgage statement showing the monthly payment amount 4. Utility bills showing her name (if possible) or a statement explaining the cost-sharing arrangement The advice about requesting a fair hearing immediately is spot-on - you have 90 days but don't wait! Also, definitely ask for "aid continuation" during the hearing process so she gets her full benefits while they review the case. One thing that helped me was writing a simple letter explaining the living arrangement: "I am a co-owner of the property located at [address]. I pay $450 monthly toward the mortgage from my personal account. I am not living rent-free." Sometimes having it in writing helps the caseworker understand faster than trying to explain over the phone. Good luck - this should definitely be fixable once they have the right information!

I work for a disability advocacy organization and see this exact scenario way too often. The CalFresh system really struggles with co-ownership situations, especially when one person receives SSI. A few additional things to keep in mind: - Since your daughter is disabled and on SSI, she may qualify for expedited processing of her case review (within 7 days instead of 30) - Make sure to mention she's "elderly or disabled" when you call - this can get you prioritized - If she has any medical expenses over $35/month that aren't covered by insurance, those can be deducted too and increase her benefit amount The timing with the new EBT card is definitely just coincidence - benefit calculations and card replacements are handled by completely different systems. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given: when you submit documents, always keep copies AND get a receipt showing what you submitted and when. County offices sometimes "lose" paperwork, and having that receipt can save you from having to resubmit everything. This should absolutely be resolved in your favor - co-owners paying mortgage costs have every right to that shelter deduction. Don't let them brush you off!