The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued clarifications regarding recent changes to the CalWORKs Homeless Assistance program.
Participants who become homeless because of a state or federally declared disaster qualify for good cause for failure to provide proof of housing search. In addition, counties can waive the initial three-day limit on temporary homeless assistance and instead issue temporary homeless assistance in increments of more than one week for persons who become homeless because of a state or federally declared natural disaster. There is no limit on the number of times in a year a family can receive homeless assistance because of a state or federally declared natural disaster, and receiving benefits on this basis does not count toward once every 12-month limit on Homeless Assistance. Counties must indentify and inform CalWORKs in a state or federally declared disaster area of their eligibility for Homeless Assistance.
Homeless CalWORKs families who are receiving Family Reunification services are eligible to receive temporary homeless assistance if the county determines that these benefits will assist with reunification, despite the fact that these cases do not receive a cash grant.
CDSS has revised the CW 42 Homeless Statement of Facts to include information about expanded Homeless Assistance for persons fleeing domestic violence. CDSS has also issued new and revised notice of action messages. (ACL 19-77, July 31, 2019.)