Confused about CalFresh eligibility with questionable housing situation - need urgent advice

Your living situation won't automatically disqualify you from CalFresh. People experiencing homelessness or with unstable housing can still qualify. What they need is verification of your identity and possibly your income, but residency can be verified through a statement from someone who knows your situation. Ask your eligibility worker about a \

Thank you so much for this information! I had no idea about the collateral contact statement. Do you know if this letter from my cousin needs to be notarized or have any specific format? I'm worried they'll still be suspicious since she's family and not charging me rent.

i was in the EXACT same boat last year!!! couch surfing at my brothers for like 6 months and they gave me so much trouble about it. kept saying i needed to prove we werent sharing food and that i was buying my own groceries separate. such bs honestly. ended up having to get a letter from my brother AND his landlord!! make sure your cousin is ok with this cuz they might call her to verify.

Oh wow, they actually called to verify? That's making me nervous because my cousin works weird hours as a nurse. Did they ask your brother about your finances or just confirm you were staying there?

I work with clients in similar situations regularly. Here's what you need to know:\n\n1. CalFresh eligibility doesn't require fixed housing - you can be homeless or temporarily housed and still qualify\n2. You need to clearly establish you're a \

OP, this is super important! When I was staying with family, I got denied benefits initially because they assumed we were buying and cooking food together. When I clarified that we kept our food completely separate (I had my own shelf in the fridge and cabinet), they approved me. Document how you keep your food separate!!

Have you tried using Claimyr to reach someone directly at the CalFresh office? I was in a similar situation (staying with a friend temporarily) and kept getting the runaround from the automated system. Used Claimyr from claimyr.com and they got me connected to a real eligibility worker in about 10 minutes who explained exactly what documentation I needed for my situation. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. Saved me from having to physically go to the office and wait all day, which I couldn't do because of my work schedule.

I hadn't heard of that service before! Thanks for sharing. Did you have to talk to a specialist about your housing situation or just a regular eligibility worker? I'm worried about getting someone who doesn't understand my circumstance.

they made me bring in a sworn statement when i was staying at my sisters. such a hassle!!!! AND they made me verify again at my 6 month reporting. like nothing changed why are u asking again???

That's because they're required to verify your living situation at every SAR7 and recertification if you have non-traditional housing. It's annoying but it's part of their verification requirements. Better to be prepared for it than surprised.

You absolutely CAN get CalFresh in your situation. The

This is really helpful, thank you! We definitely buy and prepare food separately (when I can even afford food). I've been getting some mail there so I'll gather what I have. Do you know if email confirmations (like from job applications) that show that address would count as mail?

When i applied last year they told me to just put \

This isn't accurate advice for everyone and could actually cause problems. If you declare yourself homeless when you have a consistent place to stay (even temporarily), it could be considered misrepresentation. The better approach is to accurately describe your living situation and work with your eligibility worker on appropriate verification.

just keep calling them til you get someone helpful!!!! i swear some workers WANT to deny you and others actually try to help. hang up and try again if u get a mean one lol

While worker quality does vary, I wouldn't recommend just hanging up repeatedly. Instead, ask for a supervisor if you feel your case isn't being handled properly. You have the right to speak with a supervisor if you disagree with how your case is being processed. Also, document everything - who you spoke with, date/time, and what was said. This helps if you need to escalate later.

did u tell them ur paying ANYTHING to stay there? like even $50 a month? cuz if u say ur living completely free they might think ur cousin is supporting u and count that as income somehow. happened to my friend

I told them the truth - that I'm not paying rent right now because I lost my job (just got a new one starting next week though). Should I have said I pay something? I don't want to lie but now I'm worried this could hurt my application...

Make sure to ask about the 'expedited services' option if your income and resources are very low. They should process your application within 3 days if you qualify for emergency assistance. Just mention 'expedited CalFresh' specifically. When I applied, nobody told me about this until after I'd been waiting for weeks.

THIS!! I was literally starving waiting for my regular application and only found out about expedited services from a food bank worker! The county never mentioned it even though I qualified. Definitely push for this if your bank account is under $100 and your monthly income is low.

Following up on some of the questions in this thread:\n\n1. The letter from your cousin does NOT need to be notarized - a simple signed statement is usually sufficient\n2. Email confirmations showing your address can help as secondary verification\n3. Honesty is crucial - don't claim to pay rent if you don't\n4. Being honest about free housing won't disqualify you, but the county needs to determine if it counts as \

Thank you so much for this thorough explanation! This makes me feel a lot better about the whole process. I'll get the letter from my cousin and gather whatever mail I have. And I'll definitely report my new job properly - it's only part-time so I think I'll still qualify for some help.

I went through something very similar when I was staying with my aunt after getting evicted. The key thing that helped me was being completely upfront about my situation and emphasizing that I buy and prepare my own food separately. I brought a simple handwritten letter from my aunt confirming I was staying there temporarily, plus any mail I had received at that address (even junk mail counts!). The worker initially seemed skeptical too, but once I explained that we keep our groceries completely separate and I'm actively looking for my own place, they processed my application. Don't give up - you have every right to food assistance regardless of your housing situation. The fact that you're starting a new job shows you're working toward stability, which they should view positively. Hang in there!

I'm in a very similar situation right now - staying with my brother after losing my housing due to job loss. What really helped me was calling the CalFresh hotline and specifically asking to speak with someone experienced in homeless/transitional housing cases. The first worker I spoke with seemed confused about my situation, but the second one walked me through exactly what I needed. She explained that temporary housing arrangements are actually very common and they have procedures for this. I ended up needing: 1) A simple letter from my brother stating I stay there and that we don't share food/expenses, 2) Any piece of mail I'd received there (I used a bank statement that got forwarded), and 3) A clear explanation that I'm actively job searching and this is temporary. The whole process took about 2 weeks once I had the right documentation. Don't let them make you feel like you're doing something wrong - you deserve food assistance regardless of your housing situation!

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when I was staying with my sister after a roommate bailed on me. The housing verification was definitely the trickiest part, but I want to reassure you that it's absolutely doable. Here's what worked for me: I had my sister write a simple letter stating that I was staying there temporarily, that we buy/prepare food separately, and that I don't pay rent due to financial hardship. I also gathered ANY mail that came to that address with my name on it - even promotional stuff from stores where I'd updated my address online. The key thing the worker told me was that they're not trying to deny you benefits for having unstable housing - they just need to verify you're not double-dipping or sharing food costs inappropriately. When I explained that I keep my few groceries on a separate shelf and cook at different times, that satisfied their requirements. The whole process took about 3 weeks, but I was approved. Also, definitely mention your new job starting next week - showing that you're working toward stability actually helps your case. You've got this! Don't let the bureaucracy discourage you from getting the help you need.