Will I lose CalWORKs for not paying rent? Worker said I must report rent even while staying with someone for free

The worker is partially right but explained it poorly. CalWORKs does include housing costs in the benefit calculation, but reporting $0 rent shouldn't make you ineligible. What probably happened is the worker is confused about the rules for "free housing" - they're supposed to calculate if you're receiving "in-kind income" when someone lets you stay for free. As for adding the father of your unborn child - yes, if you're living together, they typically need to include him in your "assistance unit" since you're having a child together. His income would count toward household income even though your older child has a different father. For the address situation, that person should definitely update their address with the county. Using an address where you don't live is technically fraud and could cause bigger problems for her later. The county usually gives people time to update their info without penalties if they self-report.

omg the same thing happened to my cousin!!! they made her report she was paying $200 rent to her mom even tho her mom wasn't charging her anything!!! its so they can justify cutting ur benefits. they always try to find some way to reduce what u get its so annoying

Urgent: For the address issue - the person needs to update their address ASAP! I got caught in a similar situation where someone was using my address without my knowledge. When the county found out, they launched a fraud investigation against BOTH of us! It was a NIGHTMARE to clear up. Both households could end up with overpayments and have to pay back benefits. For your rent question - you should explain to your worker that you're not paying rent because your housing is temporary and you're saving that money for other child expenses like diapers, clothes, etc. Ask for a breakdown of exactly how your grant is calculated.

The housing thing sounds fishy to me... I've been on CalWORKs for 2 years staying with different relatives and never paid rent. They never threatened to cut my benefits. I'd ask to speak to a supervisor honestly.

About the father of your unborn baby - yes, he would need to be included in your CalWORKs case IF you're actually in a relationship and living together as a family unit. But if you're just temporarily staying together for support during the pregnancy but maintaining separate finances/lives, you might be able to explain that to your worker. The rules about who's in your "assistance unit" can be complicated. And I don't think the worker should be threatening to reduce your benefits for not paying rent - that sounds like a misunderstanding of the rules. CalWORKs is supposed to help with ALL child expenses, not just housing.

Let me clarify a few things about CalWORKs rules that might help: 1. HOUSING: CalWORKs doesn't require you to pay rent. However, if someone provides you free housing, it can be counted as "in-kind income" which might slightly reduce your grant. The worker shouldn't be telling you to make up a rent amount - that would be fraudulent reporting. 2. ASSISTANCE UNIT: If the father of your unborn child lives with you AND you present yourselves as a family unit (sharing resources/responsibilities), then yes, he must be added to your case. His income would count toward the household's total. However, if you maintain separate finances and are just co-parenting under the same roof temporarily, you might be able to make that case to your worker. 3. ADDRESS VERIFICATION: The county is required to verify residency. If someone else was using that address for benefits, they need to clear that up. Both that person AND you should update your information with the county to avoid potential fraud investigations. I would recommend requesting an in-person meeting with your eligibility worker and supervisor to sort this all out properly. Bring any documentation that shows your current living arrangement.

Sounds like ur worker is new or somthin. Ive never had 2 report specific rent when i was stayin w family. they just asked if i pay anythin toward household expenses. i just said i help with utilities when i can & that was fine. Also for the address thing - the other lady DEF needs 2 update her address!! my friend got hit with a fraud case for keepin her old address on file & had 2 pay back like $4500!!!

UPDATE: I spoke with a supervisor yesterday and got some clear answers! 1. I do NOT have to make up a rent amount. Free housing can count as "in-kind income" but they can't just cut off my CalWORKs completely for this reason. 2. Since the baby's father and I aren't in a relationship (we're just co-parenting and I'm temporarily staying with him), I need to submit a statement explaining our living arrangement. The supervisor said they'll review it case-by-case. 3. For the address issue - the previous resident needs to update her address with the county ASAP. The supervisor said they won't automatically assume fraud if she self-reports, but continuing to use an incorrect address could cause problems. Thanks everyone for your help! My original worker was definitely giving me incorrect information.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress, especially while pregnant! I went through something similar last year. The worker was definitely giving you wrong information - they can't just cut off your CalWORKs because you're not paying rent. What helped me was writing down everything the worker told me, then calling back to speak with someone else to verify. I also found it helpful to ask them to explain exactly which policy or regulation they're referring to when they make these claims. For the living situation with the baby's father - document everything about how you maintain separate finances and aren't in a romantic relationship. Write down dates, who pays for what, etc. This will help when you meet with the supervisor. And yes, that other person absolutely needs to update their address immediately! I've seen people get hit with fraud investigations for much less. Better to be proactive about it. Hang in there - you're advocating well for yourself and your kids!

I'm really glad you got clarity from a supervisor! Your original worker was definitely misinformed about the housing rules. Just wanted to add a couple things that might help: For documenting your living arrangement with the baby's father, include specific details like: you have separate bedrooms, don't share meals regularly, pay for your own personal expenses, don't have joint bank accounts, etc. The more specific you can be about maintaining separate lives, the stronger your case. Also, I'd suggest getting that supervisor's name and direct number if possible. Sometimes it helps to have a contact person who already understands your situation if issues come up again with your regular worker. You're doing a great job advocating for yourself and your children. The CalWORKs system can be confusing even for the workers sometimes, so don't hesitate to ask for clarification or escalate when something doesn't sound right. Wishing you the best with everything!

I'm so sorry you had to deal with that confusing and stressful situation! It sounds like your original worker really didn't understand the policies properly. I'm glad you were able to get clarification from a supervisor. Just to add to what others have said - when you're dealing with CalWORKs workers in the future, don't be afraid to ask them to cite the specific regulation or policy manual section they're referring to. Sometimes workers make assumptions or misremember rules, and asking for the specific policy can help clarify things quickly. Also, if you ever feel like you're getting conflicting information again, you can always request to speak with an eligibility supervisor right away rather than going through multiple rounds of confusion with different workers. You have the right to escalate when policies aren't being explained clearly. Keep documenting everything and advocating for yourself - you're doing great! The system can be really overwhelming, especially when you're pregnant and managing everything else. Wishing you all the best with your case and your growing family!

I'm so glad you were able to get proper clarification from a supervisor! Your experience highlights how important it is to verify information when something doesn't sound right. For anyone else reading this thread who might face similar issues - a few key takeaways: 1. CalWORKs workers are human and can make mistakes or misunderstand policies. Don't hesitate to ask for a supervisor if you're getting confusing or contradictory information. 2. Free housing doesn't automatically disqualify you from CalWORKs. It might count as "in-kind income" but shouldn't result in complete benefit termination. 3. Living with someone doesn't automatically make them part of your assistance unit - the county has to consider whether you're actually functioning as a family unit with shared resources. 4. Always ask workers to cite the specific policy or regulation they're referencing. This helps ensure everyone's on the same page about what rules actually apply. It's really encouraging to see how you advocated for yourself through this process. The CalWORKs system can be overwhelming, but stories like yours show that persistence and asking the right questions can help resolve even complicated situations. Hope everything goes smoothly with your case moving forward!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share that I had a very similar experience recently! My worker also told me I needed to report a rent amount even though I wasn't paying anything to stay with family. It turned out she was completely wrong about the policy. What really helped me was calling the CalWORKs customer service line and asking to speak with a policy specialist. They were able to explain that free housing might count as "in-kind income" but definitely shouldn't result in benefit termination. They also confirmed that you can't be required to make up fake rent amounts - that would actually be considered fraudulent reporting! For the address issue with the other person - definitely get that resolved ASAP. I work at a nonprofit that helps people with benefits, and I've seen too many cases where address mix-ups led to overpayment demands and fraud investigations for everyone involved. It sounds like you're handling this really well by escalating to a supervisor. Don't be afraid to keep pushing back when workers give you information that doesn't sound right. You know your situation best, and you have the right to get accurate information about your benefits!

I'm so sorry you went through all that stress and confusion! As someone who's been navigating CalWORKs for a while, I can tell you that your original worker was definitely giving you incorrect information. It's unfortunately pretty common for workers to misunderstand policies, especially around housing situations. Just wanted to add a couple things that might help others in similar situations: 1. If you're staying somewhere for free, the county might assess it as "in-kind income" but they have to use fair market value calculations - they can't just make you pick a random rent amount. And even if they do count some in-kind income, it usually only reduces your grant slightly, not eliminates it entirely. 2. For documentation, keep records of all your conversations with workers - dates, times, what was said. This really helps when you need to escalate or clarify conflicting information later. 3. The CalWORKs All County Letter (ACL) system has all the official policy guidance. You can actually look these up online if you want to verify what workers are telling you. It sounds like you did everything right by pushing back and asking for a supervisor. That takes courage, especially when you're dealing with pregnancy stress on top of everything else. Hope your case gets resolved smoothly from here!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved by speaking with a supervisor! Your story is a perfect example of why it's so important to question things when workers give you information that doesn't sound right. As someone who's helped family members navigate CalWORKs, I can confirm that your original worker was completely wrong on multiple points. You should never be told to make up a rent amount you're not actually paying - that's literally asking you to commit fraud! And the idea that free housing automatically disqualifies you from CalWORKs is just not true. For anyone else reading this who might face similar issues: document everything, don't be afraid to ask for supervisors, and remember that you have the right to understand exactly which policies apply to your situation. Workers sometimes get overwhelmed or confused about complex rules, but that doesn't mean you have to accept incorrect information that could harm your benefits. The address situation you mentioned is also really common - definitely get that other person to update their information ASAP to avoid fraud investigations for everyone involved. Thanks for sharing your experience and the resolution! Stories like this help other community members know what to expect and how to advocate for themselves.