Can I report unofficial rent increase to mom for CalWORKs Cash Aid? No formal receipts
Just got approved for CalWORKs Cash Aid last week but my situation already changed. My mom is increasing my rent from $650 to $850 starting next month because her own bills went up. Problem is, I pay her in cash and don't have an official rental agreement since it's family. Will CalWORKs even count this as a legitimate expense since I can't provide formal receipts? My worker already seems annoyed with me for calling too much. Do I need to wait until my SAR7 to report this change or should I do it now? This rent increase will leave me with basically nothing for other necessities.
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Butch Sledgehammer
i think u only need to report it if ur income went up not if ur expenses changed. u can wait for the SAR7 to tell them about rent
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Sara Unger
•Really? I thought changes in expenses affected how much Cash Aid I get. If I'm paying more rent, shouldn't that mean I get more assistance?
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Freya Ross
You're confusing CalWORKs with CalFresh. For CalWORKs Cash Aid, changes in housing costs don't affect your grant amount - it's based on your family size and income. However, for CalFresh (food stamps), housing costs do impact your benefit amount. You only need to report changes mid-period if your income goes OVER the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) that's listed on your approval notice. Otherwise, wait for your SAR7.
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Sara Unger
•Omg you're right, I was thinking of CalFresh. So even though my rent is higher, my Cash Aid won't change? That really puts me in a tough spot. Thanks for explaining.
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Leslie Parker
When I moved in with my aunt last year I had similar issue. Cash aid didn't change but my calfresh went up by like $80 when I reported the higher rent. But my aunt had to write a letter saying how much I pay her each month and sign it. Your mom probably needs to do the same thing even without official lease.
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Sergio Neal
•This is correct. For CalFresh, you can document rent paid to a relative with a signed statement. The form is called a "Shared Housing Verification" or sometimes a "Room & Board Statement" depending on your county. Your mom would need to sign it stating how much you pay monthly. Even though this won't change your CalWORKs amount, it could significantly increase your CalFresh benefits if you're also receiving those. You can submit this change anytime - you don't have to wait for the SAR7 for CalFresh expense changes.
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Savanna Franklin
idk why everyone says rent doesnt matter for calworks, when i had my baby last year they asked for my rent info and gave me higher cash aid cuz of it??
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Freya Ross
•You're likely referring to the housing supplement programs that some counties offer on top of regular CalWORKs, like the Housing Support Program (HSP) or Homeless Assistance. Those are separate from the standard CalWORKs grant calculation, which doesn't factor in rent. The base CalWORKs grant is the same regardless of whether your rent is $500 or $1500.
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Juan Moreno
If you're having trouble reaching your CalWORKs worker about this question, try using Claimyr to get through. I was getting disconnected for DAYS trying to reach my worker about a similar question. Used claimyr.com and got through in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Just to echo what others said - this won't change your Cash Aid but could definitely increase your CalFresh if you report the higher housing costs.
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Sara Unger
•Thanks for the suggestion! I'll check that out because I've been trying to get through for days. My worker literally never answers direct calls.
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Sergio Neal
One additional thing to consider: if paying this higher rent will make it impossible for you to afford other necessities, you should ask about the Housing Support Program through CalWORKs. While your regular grant won't increase due to higher rent, you might qualify for additional housing assistance if you're at risk of homelessness due to this rent increase. Many counties offer this, but it's not automatic - you have to specifically ask for it.
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Amy Fleming
•This!!!! The Housing Support Program saved me when my landlord raised my rent last year. They paid the difference for 3 months while I found a cheaper place. Not all workers tell u about this program unless u specifically ask for it. They have emergency $$ for exactly these situations.
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Sara Unger
UPDATE: Finally spoke with my worker! You were all right - the Cash Aid amount won't change but I can report the higher rent expense for CalFresh. My mom wrote a letter stating the new rent amount and I submitted it through BenefitsCal. My worker also gave me info about the Housing Support Program but said there's a waitlist in my county right now. At least my CalFresh should increase a bit which will help. Thanks everyone for the advice!
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Isla Fischer
Glad you got it sorted out! That's exactly how it works - CalWORKs cash aid is a flat rate but CalFresh does factor in housing costs. Even a small increase in CalFresh benefits can make a real difference when you're stretching every dollar. Good call on getting your mom to write that letter too, having documentation makes everything smoother with the county. Hope the Housing Support Program waitlist moves quickly for you!
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•That's awesome that you got through to your worker and got it all figured out! The CalFresh increase will definitely help offset some of that rent jump. And yeah, even though there's a waitlist for Housing Support, at least you're on it now - sometimes people move or their situations change and spots open up faster than expected. Keep us posted on how much your CalFresh goes up, it might help other people in similar situations!
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Liam Sullivan
So glad everything worked out for you Sara! This is such a helpful thread for anyone dealing with rent changes. Just wanted to add that if anyone else is in a similar situation with family rent arrangements, make sure to keep copies of all those letters and documentation. I learned the hard way that workers sometimes ask for the same paperwork multiple times, especially during recertifications. Having everything saved digitally makes resubmitting so much easier. And definitely don't be afraid to ask about those housing assistance programs - like Amy said, they don't always tell you about them upfront but they can be lifesavers when rent gets crazy high like it has everywhere lately.
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Dylan Mitchell
•This is such great advice, Liam! I wish I had known about keeping digital copies when I first started with CalWORKs. I've had to scramble to get the same documents multiple times during my recerts. For anyone reading this who's new to the system like I was - definitely scan or take clear photos of everything you submit. Also, Sara's experience shows how helpful this community is for navigating all the confusing program rules. I was so lost when I first applied and threads like this really help break down what affects what benefits.
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Connor Murphy
This whole thread is exactly why I love this community - so much helpful info! I'm dealing with a similar family rent situation right now and was totally confused about what to report and when. The breakdown about CalWORKs vs CalFresh is super clear and I had no idea about that Housing Support Program waitlist thing. Definitely going to ask my worker about that next time I call. Sara, thanks for posting the update too - it really helps to see how these situations actually play out instead of just guessing what might happen.
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