Do you need CalWORKs to qualify for CalFresh homeless assistance programs?

There's actually a bit of confusion here that I can clear up. The Homeless Assistance Program you're referring to is part of CalWORKs, not CalFresh. CalFresh is strictly a food benefit program and doesn't have its own housing assistance component. To qualify for the CalWORKs Homeless Assistance Program, you would need to be eligible for and receiving CalWORKs benefits (which means you need to have a child in your care or be pregnant), or be apparently eligible for CalWORKs. The program provides temporary shelter payments and/or permanent housing assistance. If you don't have children/aren't pregnant, you wouldn't qualify for CalWORKs and therefore wouldn't be eligible for their Homeless Assistance Program.

ya i was homeless back in 2023 and calfresh dont do housing. they just do food. u need 2 call ur county 211 number they can tell u all the homeless services. or go to a shelter they know all that stuff.

To add to what others have said, while CalFresh itself doesn't provide housing assistance, being homeless does give you certain advantages within the CalFresh program: 1. Expedited services - you should get benefits within 3 days 2. Exemption from many address requirements 3. Special rules about how to use benefits if you don't have cooking facilities 4. In some counties, restaurant meal programs for homeless CalFresh recipients For actual housing help, check out these options as a single person: - Emergency Housing Vouchers through your local Housing Authority - Coordinated Entry System for your county - HSP (Housing Support Program) if your county has it - Local non-profits that specialize in housing assistance You wouldn't qualify for the CalWORKs homeless assistance without having dependent children.

For the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), it's available in certain counties for homeless, elderly, and disabled CalFresh recipients. Currently it's available in Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties. You can call your county office to confirm if it's available and how to get the special designation on your EBT card that allows restaurant purchases. Regarding housing assistance, have you tried applying for the Emergency Housing Voucher program? Many housing authorities received these vouchers specifically to help people experiencing homelessness.

If you're having trouble reaching your CalFresh worker to ask these questions, I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to actual caseworkers at the county offices instead of waiting on hold forever. Helped me tons when I was trying to sort out my benefits last month. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 or go to claimyr.com. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when a real person picks up. Not free but worth every penny when you NEED to talk to someone.

THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE YOU!!! This is EXACTLY what I went through last year. They send you from program to program in circles until you give up. CalWORKs says talk to CalFresh, CalFresh says talk to Housing Authority, Housing Authority has a 2 YEAR WAITLIST!!!! Don't waste your time calling - go IN PERSON to the county office and REFUSE to leave until someone helps you. Bring ALL your documents and be prepared to wait ALL DAY. It's the ONLY way to get real help in this broken system.

Has anyone mentioned General Assistance/General Relief to you? That's the program for single adults without children who need cash aid. Each county runs their own version of it. The amounts are much lower than CalWORKs (like $200-400/month depending on county), but it might help in your situation. Some counties also have housing programs specifically for GA/GR recipients. And definitely connect with your county's Homeless Outreach Team or Coordinated Entry System - that's the main gateway to housing services for single adults. The process can take time though, so start as soon as possible.

my cousin was homeless last year and she got into some program where they paid her first month rent and deposit but she had to find the apartment herself which was like impossible with rental prices in cali lol. eventually she found a room for rent that would accept the program. she didn't have kids either. try asking about rapid rehousing programs maybe?

Hey Nathan, I was in a similar situation about 8 months ago - single, on CalFresh, and couch surfing. Here's what I learned that might help you: First, definitely call 211 like others mentioned, but also try searching online for "[your county name] homeless services" - most counties have a website that lists all available programs. One thing that really helped me was connecting with a homeless services navigator. They're like case managers who know all the programs and can help you apply. Many counties have them at libraries, community centers, or through non-profits. Also, if you're worried about your friend's situation, look into "bridge housing" or "interim housing" programs. These are temporary placements (like converted motels) that can give you a stable address while you work on permanent housing. Way better than shelters and usually easier to get into than regular housing programs. Don't give up - it took me about 3 months but I eventually got into a shared housing program through a local non-profit. The key is applying to EVERYTHING you might qualify for, even if the wait lists are long. Good luck!

Just wanted to add something that might help while you're waiting for housing programs to come through - make sure you update your CalFresh case to reflect that you're homeless. This can help in a few ways: you might qualify for higher benefit amounts since homeless individuals get different deductions, and it puts you in the system as someone who needs expedited services. Also, if you haven't already, ask about the Homeless Client Tracking system in your county. Being registered in this system is often required to access many of the housing programs people have mentioned. It's separate from your CalFresh case but equally important. One more tip - if you're in a county with a lot of colleges, sometimes there are emergency housing programs specifically for students/young adults that might have shorter wait times than the general homeless services. Worth asking about even if you're not currently enrolled in school.