The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions implementing AB 557 regarding the expansion of homeless assistance for persons escaping domestic abuse.
CalWORKs applicants who provide a sworn statement of past or present domestic abuse and are fleeing the abuser are eligible for up to 32 days of temporary homeless assistance benefits if found to be apparently eligible for CalWORKs regardless of the abuser’s income or assets. This benefit is available even if the applicant has not spent a night homeless. This benefit is available even if the applicant has a joint bank account that they claim belongs to the abuser.
Any income or assets the applicant has on hand will be evaluated toward the $100 limit for homeless assistance eligibility. There is no requirement that the applicant verify homelessness beyond the sworn statement that they are fleeing domestic abuse.
CalWORKs applicants fleeing domestic abuse shall receive a lump sum equal to 16 days of temporary homeless assistance benefits on the date of application. Applicants will received a lump sum for an additional 16 days of homeless assistance if they remain homeless and their CalWORKs application has not yet been granted. Payments can be made to the applicant or to the temporary shelter at the applicant’s choice. If the applicant does not provide verification that the funds were spent on shelter, the second 16 days can be issued by voucher.
Persons fleeing domestic violence are not required to provide proof of their search for housing unless they have also been granted immediate need or are issued their first month of CalWORKs benefits and therefore have been issued regular homeless assistance. In such cases, counties are strongly encouraged to grant good cause from complying with the housing search verification requirement.
The homeless assistance benefit for persons fleeing domestic violence is available once in a lifetime. (ACL 18-78, June 29, 2018.)