Can CalFresh/welfare help with apartment deposit in Stanislaus County?

CalFresh doesn't help with housing deposits, but Stanislaus County does have an Emergency Rental Assistance Program that might help. You need to contact Housing Authority of Stanislaus County or apply through Community Services Agency (CSA). They have a Housing Support Program specifically for families, and since you have children, you might qualify. The income requirements are usually around 50% of Area Median Income for the county. Bring your ID, proof of income, current lease/rental agreement, and documentation showing the new apartment costs.

Thank you! Do you know if they help even if I'm not on CalWORKs? I only get CalFresh right now, not cash aid.

i got help with deposit last year but u have 2 be on calworks not just calfresh. they call it the HSP program (housing support program) and they helped me with security deposit and first 3 months rent. but the waiting list was like 6 weeks when i applied

Oh man that's disappointing. I'm not on CalWORKs because I make just over the income limit with my job. Seems unfair that I make a little too much for cash aid but still can't afford housing 😞

The Housing Support Program (HSP) in Stanislaus County DOES require CalWORKs eligibility as the previous poster mentioned. HOWEVER, there are two other options you should look into:\n\n1. Community Resource Project (CRP) - They sometimes have deposit assistance programs with different requirements\n\n2. The Salvation Army in Modesto occasionally has rental deposit assistance funds\n\nAlso, have you tried applying for the Family Stabilization Program? Sometimes they can make exceptions for families in your situation even if you're slightly over the CalWORKs income limit. It's worth asking specifically about an income exception given your housing instability with children.

Thank you so much for those options! I'll definitely call about the Family Stabilization Program tomorrow. Never heard of that one before.

don't bother with salvation army they ran out of funds last month my cousin tried

They actually got new funding as of July 1st! It's limited though, so definitely call early in the morning to get an appointment slot. Their system is first-come, first-served and they only take like 5 applications per day.

Ive been thru this exact situation!!! The regular county workers will tell u no but u have to ask SPECIFICALLY for the Homeless Assistance Program. Its a ONE TIME benefit even if ur over income for calworks. U can get it once every 12 months for deposit BUT u have to prove ur homeless or about to be homeless (motel receipts work). Bring ur kids birth certificates and SSN cards when u go and tell them ur in a housing crisis. They can rush approve it in 3 days if u already found a place willing to rent to u.

Omg thank you!!! This sounds exactly like what I need. Do I just go to the regular welfare office and ask for this program specifically?

Yes go to the CSA office on Hackett Rd and tell them you need to apply for the Homeless Assistance Program. Regular call center workers on the phone usually don't know about all these special programs so u HAVE to go in person and ask specifically for it by name.

This is so helpful. I'm going tomorrow morning first thing!

I used to work for Stanislaus County (not anymore), and wanted to clarify a few things:\n\n1. The Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) does exist, but eligibility is typically tied to CalWORKs. However, there is a

Thank you for this insider information! I'll definitely ask about both HAP and HDAP and be prepared with all my documents. Really appreciate the help!

If you're struggling to get through to Stanislaus County services on the phone (which is common), I'd recommend using Claimyr. It helped me bypass the crazy hold times when I was trying to resolve my CalFresh issues last month. Just go to claimyr.com and they'll call the county for you and connect you when a real person answers. Saved me hours of waiting. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

does this really work??? i spend HOURS on hold with stanislaus county every time i call them

Yes! That's exactly why I used it. I was on hold for over 2 hours trying to fix an issue with my CalFresh case, got disconnected twice. With Claimyr I was connected to a person in about 15 minutes. They call and wait on hold for you, then connect you once someone answers.

One more resource to look into: Center for Human Services in Stanislaus County sometimes has homelessness prevention funds that include security deposits. Their requirements are different from the county programs. Also try calling 211 for a complete list of current resources - they keep track of which programs have funding available right now, which is constantly changing.

Thank you! I'll try both of those. Really hoping I can find something that works with my situation.

UPDATE: I went to the CSA office today and they told me I do qualify for the Homeless Assistance Program even though I'm not on CalWORKs! The worker said because I have children and am in temporary housing (the motel), I meet their definition of