Effective January 1, 2017, clients are eligible to receive CalWORKs Homeless Assistance once every 12 months with exceptions. Previously, clients were eligible for Homeless Assistance once in their lifetime with exceptions. This change is because of AB 1603, Section 15 (2016).
There are two types of Homeless Assistance. Temporary Homeless Assistance is available to CalWORKs recipients or apparently eligible applicants and provides up to 16 consecutive days of shelter, which is generally a hotel. Permanent Homeless Assistance provides security deposit, last month rent and utility deposit for commercially available rental unit where rent does not exceed 80 percent of the client’s income. Alternatively, for clients facing eviction, Permanent Homeless Assistance can provide up to two months or rental arrearages for a client to remain in their unit.
The 12 month period begins the day the welfare department issues the first payment of temporary or permanent homeless assistance. Exceptions are available once during the 12 month period. ACL 16-98 (November 30, 2016).