Can CalFresh benefits help with rental assistance in Fresno County?

CalFresh benefits can only be used for purchasing food items, not rent or housing costs. However, if you qualify for CalFresh, you may also be eligible for other assistance programs. Look into Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) through the Fresno Housing Authority, or the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) if applicable. You can also check with your county office about the Housing Support Program (HSP) which specifically helps families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The CalWORKs program might be another option if you have children in your household.

hey i was in the same boat last year!! calfresh is just for food like others said but when i went to my recertification appointment i mentioned my housing issues and they referred me to fresno housing authority. theres a waitlist tho just warning you. also check out the community action agency they sometimes have emergency rental assistance funds

While you're waiting for housing assistance programs, you might want to make sure you're getting the maximum CalFresh benefits you qualify for. This won't help with rent directly, but it could free up some money in your budget. Make sure they know about all your deductible expenses like utilities, childcare costs (if applicable), and medical expenses if you're elderly or disabled. Some people don't realize these can increase your benefit amount. Also, report any decrease in income immediately so your benefits can be adjusted.

This system is so broken! They expect people to survive on these pathetic benefits while rents keep skyrocketing. I've been on CalFresh for 3 years and they barely give me enough for 2 weeks of groceries, let alone help with housing. The whole thing is designed to keep us struggling. Fresno rents have gone up 35% in the last two years but our benefits don't increase with inflation. It's ridiculous!!!

Call your county office ASAP about your utility costs! You don't need to wait for your SAR7 to update that information. That could boost your monthly benefits right away. I had a similar situation and got an extra $42/month after I reported my utility bills.

Good luck reaching anyone at the Fresno County office by phone - I spent 3 days trying last month and kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. If you need to reach a real person at CalFresh quickly, I'd recommend using Claimyr.com. It helped me get through to an actual human being after weeks of frustration. They have a service that waits on hold for you and calls when a real person answers. There's a video demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

also check out the fresno eoc they have like energy assistance programs that can help with utility bills which might free up some $$ for rent

Have u checked out roomate situations? I know its not ideal but i had to do that when i first got on calfresh, rented a room for $650 instead of my own place for $1500. Got back on my feet after a year and now have my own apartment again. Just a thought!

To answer your earlier question about updating your utility costs - you should call your eligibility worker right away. This is considered a change that could increase your benefits, so you don't need to wait for your next reporting period. If you can't reach anyone by phone, you can also submit this information through your BenefitsCal account online under 'Report a Change.' Make sure to upload copies of your utility bills as verification.

Just want to add that if you're struggling with rent, also look into the Fresno County Emergency Rental Assistance Program - they might still have funding available. I know someone who got 3 months of back rent covered through them last fall. The application process was pretty quick too, like 2-3 weeks from application to approval. You can apply online through their portal or visit one of their partner organizations. And definitely take everyone's advice about updating your utility expenses with CalFresh - that extra money each month really does help stretch your budget!