The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued questions and answers about CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA).
HA serves eligible CalWORKs recipients or applicants who are apparently eligible for CalWORKs, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. HA benefits include HA, which helps pay the cost of temporary shelter, and permanent HA, which helps families secure permanent housing or prevent eviction. Temporary HA is available for up to 16 days. Temporary HA is issued in an initial payment for three days, follow by payments of up to seven days at a time. \
Permanent HA can used for up to two months of rental arrearages if the housing cost does not exceed 80% of their income. Permanent HA can also be used for security deposit, last month rent, any legal payment, fee, deposit, or charge, including pet deposit, credit check fee and application fee, which are a condition of securing housing. Permanent HA can also be used for utility deposits required for gas, electricity, and/or water.
Eligible families may receive temporary HA, permanent HA, or both, once every 12 months with exceptions.
Counties must issue or deny temporary HA within the same working day as the applicant submits the CW 42 request form. Counties cannot require that the CW 42 be submitted by a specific time of the day. If the CW 42 is submitted after the close of business, it is considered received the next working day.
Counties must issue or deny permanent HA within one working day of the client submitting the CW 42 form and evidence of the rental agreement. That evidence includes a written rental agreement or a sworn statement when the rental agreement is questionable or not readily available. When the rental agreement is questionable or not readily available, the county must try to contact the landlord (with the family’s consent) or verify the permanent housing another way. That verification cannot delay the issuance of permanent HA.
The CW 42 must have a valid physical or electronic signature to be considered complete.
If the family uses their initial three days of temporary HA, and returns later for an additional seven days of temporary HA, the county cannot require a new CW 42. The county cannot require a new CW 42 when the family returns for following an initial payment of domestic violence HA as long as the family meets the eligibility criteria.
The county is not required to conduct an in-person or face-to-face interview to process a CW 42. Counties can complete the CW 42 over the phone or have then sign by electronic means. Counties can also record a verbal attestation.
Counties must issue a notice of action when they grant or deny permanent or temporary HA.
When a family has received the initial three days of temporary HA and requests additional temporary HA, the family must provide verification of the amount spent on temporary shelter, such as receipts. When a family cannot provide verification, counties are strongly encouraged to accept a sworn statement or grant good cause. The family must also provide documentation of their permanent housing search unless the county grants good cause.
When permanent HA is for rental arrearages, the county must verify that arrearage payment is a reasonable condition of preventing eviction. When permanent HA is for new housing, the family must provide verification of the amount spent on permanent housing, and verification that the money was paid to the landlord, within 30 days of receiving the payment. The county must verify that the family’s rent does not exceed 80% of their income. The family income includes income of Assistance Unit members and any other person whose income is used to calculate the CalWORKs grant.
Child only cases are eligible for HA. This includes child only cases with a non-needy caretaker relative.
Refugee Cash Assistance recipients are not eligible for HA. They may be eligible for the Afghan Support and Investment Program, Housing Assistance for Ukrainians, or Refugee Housing Support Program.
Clients are not required to use all 16 days of Temporary HA for the same instance of homelessness.
If the county suspects fraud, it must still process the HA application in the required timeframe. The county can refer the case to their Special Investigation Unit. If the Special Investigation Unit makes a fraud finding, the county must assess an overpayment.
Initial eligibility for domestic violence HA is only for CalWORKs applicants. However, a family can use their second 16 days of domestic violence HA after their CalWORKs application is granted. The County must accept a sworn statement that the family is experiencing homelessness because of domestic violence.
For the disaster exception to the once per 12 month period limit on HA, the county must verify that there is a declared disaster where the family’s residence is located. The uninhabitability exception must be verified through a third-party governmental or private health and human services agency such as a police department, fire department, or health department. The physical or mental illness exception must be verified through a third-party governmental or private health and human services agency.
Families can receive benefits for more than one HA exception during a 12 month period. HA for a state or federally declared disaster is limited to once per disaster.
Mismanagement of funds expsts when the recipient does not meet certain program requirements. For HA, mismanagement exists, unless there is good cause, when (1) the county determines a temporary HA payment was not used for temporary shelter; (2) the family does not provide verification that the temporary HA payment was used for shelter; (3) After more than 30 calendar days, the family has not provided verification of the amount spent for permanent housing and/or that the payment was made to the landlord; or (4) the recipient’s homelessness is the result of a failure to pay rent, other than for a rent increase over 80% of the recipient’s income, reasonable withholding of rent, or domestic violence. (ACIN I-57-25, November 3, 2025.)