Will my new Section 8 housing voucher affect my CalFresh benefits in Yuba County?

Congratulations on getting Section 8! Yes, you absolutely need to report this to your county CalFresh office. It's considered a 'change in household circumstances' that must be reported within 10 days. The good news is that Section 8 often doesn't reduce CalFresh benefits as much as people fear because of how they calculate the shelter deduction. When your housing costs decrease, that can affect your benefit amount, but having Section 8 doesn't automatically make you ineligible.

congrats!! i got section 8 last yr and my calfresh went down by like $40 but still worth it for the cheaper rent obviously lol. make sure you tell them ASAP cuz if u don't they might say u got overpayment later on and make you pay back $$$

I went through something similar in Sutter County (right next to Yuba). When I got Section 8, my CalFresh benefits were reduced a bit because I was paying less toward my rent, which affected my shelter deduction. They recalculate your benefits based on your new housing expense after Section 8 pays their portion. You'll need to provide them with your Section 8 voucher amount and what your new rent portion will be. BTW - I've had SUCH a nightmare getting through to the welfare office by phone. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that saved me hours of waiting. They have a system that calls the welfare office and gets you in the phone queue, then calls you when a real person answers. Saved me literally 3 hours of hold time. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

REPORT IT RIGHT AWAY!! My sister didn't tell them about her section 8 for like 2 months and they hit her with a $750 overpayment and had to do a repayment plan AND they cut her benefits for 6 months as a penalty!!! The welfare dept does NOT mess around with not reporting changes!!!

Something important nobody mentioned yet - when you report your Section 8, make sure to also report ANY utility allowance you receive through Section 8. This is actually helpful for your CalFresh calculation because if you get a utility allowance through Section 8, CalFresh might still give you the full Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) in their calculations, which can help maximize your benefits. Also, with Section 8, your actual rent portion is what matters for CalFresh, not the total rent amount. So if your total rent is $1,500 but you only pay $300 after Section 8, then $300 is what CalFresh will use for your shelter costs.

i had section 8 in placer county and my calfresh went down to like $50 a month it sucked but my rent was only $275 after so still better overall

@8 Yes, Claimyr is definitely legit. I was skeptical too but it worked perfectly. They basically wait on hold for you. You still talk directly to the county worker yourself so your information is safe. I used it twice now and it saved me from having to call and call and call for days trying to get through.

To answer your question about reporting methods - for Yuba County, you have several options to report this change: 1. Online through BenefitsCal.com (fastest) 2. By phone: 530-749-6311 3. By mail/fax using a SAR 3 form 4. In person at the Yuba County DHHS office I recommend doing it online and then calling to confirm they received it. Keep documentation of when and how you reported the change. For CalFresh, changes that affect your benefits have to be implemented within 10 days of reporting, but it might take until your next benefit issuance to see the adjustment.

@4 for me they adjusted it the next month but i reported it right at the beginning of the month. if u report now it'll probably change for june benefits

UPDATE: I reported the Section 8 through BenefitsCal this morning and also uploaded a copy of my voucher. Then I tried calling to confirm but couldn't get through (big surprise). Going to try again tomorrow. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great job on getting Section 8 and reporting it so quickly! Just wanted to add that you should also keep an eye on your benefit letter when it comes - it will show exactly how they calculated your new CalFresh amount. If something looks off, you can request a fair hearing within 90 days. Also, once you actually move into your Section 8 unit, you'll need to report that address change too (but that's separate from reporting the voucher itself). The fact that you're being proactive about this shows you're handling it right!

Congratulations on getting Section 8! That's such a huge relief after waiting so long. I went through this exact situation in Butte County (neighboring Yuba) about 8 months ago. My CalFresh did go down by about $60/month, but honestly the rent savings more than made up for it. One tip that really helped me - when you report to CalFresh, make sure you have your Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract ready to upload. That document shows exactly how much Section 8 will pay vs what you'll pay out of pocket, which is what CalFresh uses for their calculations. The housing authority should give you a copy once everything is finalized. Also, don't stress too much about the phone lines being busy - reporting online through BenefitsCal really is sufficient as long as you keep screenshots showing you submitted it. The system automatically timestamps everything. You're doing everything right by reporting it promptly!

Congratulations on finally getting your Section 8 voucher! Three years is such a long wait, but you made it through. I'm currently in a similar situation - just got approved for Section 8 in Stanislaus County and had the same worries about my CalFresh benefits. From what I've learned talking to other people and reading through all these responses, it sounds like the key things are: 1) Report it ASAP (which you already did - great job!), 2) Keep all your documentation organized, and 3) Don't panic if your benefits go down a little because the housing savings will likely be much bigger. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think anyone mentioned - when you do your CalFresh recertification (usually every 6 months), make sure to bring updated rent verification from your new place. Sometimes they need to see proof of your actual rent portion after Section 8 kicks in, not just the voucher paperwork. You're handling this exactly right by being proactive and asking for help from people who've been through it. Wishing you all the best with your move!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works with CalFresh clients in the Central Valley - you're absolutely doing the right thing by reporting this immediately! I see too many people who wait and then get hit with overpayments that could have been avoided. One thing I'd add that might be helpful - when your benefits do get recalculated, don't be surprised if it takes a full benefit cycle to see the change reflected. Sometimes there's a lag between when you report and when the system processes the new calculation, especially if you reported mid-month. Also, keep in mind that even though your CalFresh might decrease somewhat, you'll likely qualify for the Excess Shelter Deduction as long as your housing costs (even with Section 8) plus utilities are more than half your income. This can help minimize the reduction in benefits. You've got this - Section 8 is life-changing and the small decrease in food benefits is so worth the housing stability it provides. Congratulations again on getting off that waitlist!

Congratulations on getting your Section 8 voucher after such a long wait! I'm in a similar situation in Fresno County and was worried about the same thing. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like you're handling everything exactly right by reporting it so quickly through BenefitsCal. I wanted to add one thing that helped me when I was navigating benefit changes - I started keeping a simple log with dates of when I reported changes, what method I used, and any confirmation numbers or screenshots. It's saved me a couple times when there were questions about timing. Since you already reported online and took screenshots, you're ahead of the game! The consensus here seems to be that yes, your CalFresh might go down a bit, but the housing savings will more than make up for it. Three years on that waitlist shows how much you needed this housing assistance, so try not to stress too much about a potential small reduction in food benefits. You and your kids are going to have housing stability, which is huge! Wishing you a smooth transition to your new place.

Congratulations Melody! What an incredible milestone after 3+ years of waiting. I'm a newcomer here but have been reading through all the amazing advice everyone has shared. It's so heartwarming to see this community rally around you with such detailed, helpful information. From everything I've read in this thread, it sounds like you've handled this perfectly - reporting immediately through BenefitsCal, taking screenshots for documentation, and being proactive about asking for guidance. The consensus seems clear that while your CalFresh might decrease slightly, the housing stability and rent savings will far outweigh any reduction in food benefits. I especially appreciated the tips about keeping documentation organized, watching for the benefit calculation letter, and asking about the Excess Shelter Deduction. As someone new to navigating these systems, this whole conversation has been incredibly educational. Wishing you and your kids all the best as you transition to your new home! After such a long wait, you truly deserve this housing security. Thank you for sharing your experience - it's going to help so many other people in similar situations.