Can CalFresh homeless assistance help find housing before we're evicted or just motel vouchers?

the homeless assistance ur thinking of is thru calworks not calfresh. calfresh is just food benefits, they dont help with housing at all. if u have kids u should apply for calworks and ask specifically for homeless assistance. they do have the motel vouchers but also can help with security deposit and 1st months rent if u find a place. but u have to qualify for calworks first

You need to apply for CalWORKs homeless assistance, not CalFresh. These are two completely different programs - CalFresh is strictly food benefits while CalWORKs can provide housing assistance. The CalWORKs Homeless Assistance program offers two types of help: 1. Temporary Homeless Assistance: Motel vouchers for up to 16 days while you look for permanent housing 2. Permanent Homeless Assistance: Help with move-in costs like security deposit and last month's rent IF you find a place you can afford long-term The key is to apply for CalWORKs immediately and specifically request the Homeless Assistance program. Bring documentation of your pending homelessness (the eviction notice or letter from your landlord). They can often process homeless assistance applications more quickly than regular CalWORKs. Also contact 211 in your area - they can connect you with other housing resources beyond what CalWORKs offers.

when this happened to us we couldnt get help until we were actually homeless, like living in our car. the system is broken fr

I work as a benefits counselor and want to clarify a few things: 1. CalFresh and CalWORKs are separate programs. CalFresh provides food benefits only. 2. For housing assistance, you want to apply for CalWORKs Homeless Assistance. There are income limits and other eligibility requirements. 3. You can receive Permanent Homeless Assistance BEFORE you become homeless if you have documentation showing you're going to lose your housing (eviction notice, etc.) 4. The program can help with security deposit and first month's rent, but as someone mentioned, the housing must be deemed "affordable" based on your income. 5. Apply ASAP - go to your county office in person if possible. For LA County, use the YourBenefitsNow website or BenefitsCal to start your application online. 6. You may also want to contact local housing advocacy groups like Housing Rights Center or Legal Aid Foundation who can help navigate tenant rights and housing resources.

just call them asap, my friend was in the same situation. the homeless assistance program can sometimes help with finding places too, they have connections with some landlords who work with the program. but yea it's CalWORKs not calfresh

btw make sure u bring ID for everyone in the household and birth certificates for the kids and proof of income and the eviction notice when u go apply. they need all that paperwork

One more important thing to know - if you're approved for CalWORKs Homeless Assistance, you can only receive the permanent assistance once every 12 months (with some exceptions for domestic violence or other special circumstances). So make sure you have a solid housing plan before using it. For your timeline concerns, explain the urgency of your situation when applying. While regular CalWORKs applications can take 30 days to process, the homeless assistance portion can sometimes be approved more quickly - even same day in emergency situations. And yes, last month's pay stubs should be sufficient for income verification. Bring as much documentation as possible to avoid delays.

I went through this exact situation in 2024 and the most frustrating part was all the misinformation. I wasted a week trying to get help through the wrong channels. First, like others said, you need CalWORKs not CalFresh. Second, I strongly recommend going IN PERSON to apply. The online application doesn't clearly explain the emergency homeless assistance options. When I went in person, they were able to process my homeless assistance request the same day, while my full CalWORKs application was still pending. Third, they can absolutely help BEFORE you're on the street, but you need that documentation showing you're about to lose housing. The permanent assistance (security deposit/first month rent) was approved for me while I was still in my old place. Start calling apartment listings RIGHT NOW while you're applying, because once you're approved, you need to find a place quickly that meets their affordability requirements.

the whole system is designed to make u miserable i swear. u have to be literally homeless before they help u sometimes and then they act surprised when theres so many homeless families

I want to emphasize that while applying for CalWORKs Homeless Assistance is your primary option, you should simultaneously explore all available resources: 1. Contact your local Housing Authority about emergency housing vouchers 2. Reach out to local non-profits like PATH, LA Family Housing, or St. Joseph Center 3. Call 211 for referrals to eviction prevention programs 4. If you're facing eviction (rather than just the end of your lease agreement), seek legal assistance immediately Moving forward with the CalWORKs application, be extremely persistent. Ask specifically for an emergency appointment due to imminent homelessness. Use the phrase "immediate need" as this can trigger expedited processing. Remember that the permanent housing assistance requires that your new housing costs not exceed 80% of your Total Monthly Household Income. This is challenging in LA's rental market, but it's a strict requirement.

Also want to mention that some LA County offices have walk-in hours specifically for emergency situations like yours. The Crenshaw office and the Willowbrook office both have same-day emergency appointments available if you get there early (usually before 8am). Bring everything - eviction notice, pay stubs, IDs for everyone, birth certificates, rent receipts if you have them. One thing that helped me was writing a brief letter explaining my situation and timeline before going in. It helped the worker understand the urgency right away instead of me trying to explain everything verbally while stressed. Also ask about the General Relief program as a backup - it's not as much money but can sometimes bridge the gap while CalWORKs processes. Don't give up if the first person you talk to seems unhelpful. Ask to speak with a supervisor and use the exact phrase "I need emergency homeless assistance due to imminent homelessness." The magic words matter in this system unfortunately.

I'm currently going through a similar situation and wanted to share what I've learned so far. Like others have said, you definitely need CalWORKs, not CalFresh. But here's something that might help with your timeline concerns - LA County has a "Housing and Homelessness Prevention" program that works alongside CalWORKs. When you apply, make sure to specifically mention that you have children and are facing "imminent homelessness" - this can qualify you for expedited processing. I was told by a case worker that families with minor children get priority for emergency assistance. Also, while you're waiting for CalWORKs to process, check if your area has any emergency rental assistance programs still running. Some still have COVID relief funds available. The LA County Development Authority website has a list of current programs. One more tip - if you have any documentation showing you've been a good tenant (like on-time rent payment history), bring that too. It can help when you're trying to secure new housing with the assistance. Good luck, and don't hesitate to be persistent with the county office!