63-238 Shared Living Expenses

Table of Contents

	Section
Definition	238.1
Sharing Utility Expenses with Excluded, or Ineligible Household Members	238.2
Sharing Expenses with Separate Households	238.3
Sharing Shelter Expenses with Excluded Members	238.4
Example: Excluded CalFresh Household Member Not Contributing	238.5
Expense Shared With Excluded SSI Recipients / Students	238.6
Calculating Shelter Expenses in Shared Living Situations	238.7
Example 1: Shared Living Situation: Ineligible Noncitizen with Income
Example 2: Shared Living Situation: Not Contributors Ineligible Noncitizen
Example 3: Shared Living Situation; Ineligible Noncitizen, Separate Household, and Excluded Student
Example 4: Shared Living Situation; SSI recipient, and IPV
Example 5: Shared Living Situation; Ineligible Noncitizen/ Non-Family Member
Example 6: Shared Living Situation; SSI Grandmother, SSI Child, and Ineligible Noncitizen Adult
Deduction Decision Chart for Shared Living Situations	238.8

63-238.1 Definition

Shared living expenses include allowable shelter, utility and/or dependent care expenses which the CalFresh eligible household member(s) shares with an excluded/ineligible household member(s) or another household which may or may not be participating in CalFresh.

63-238.2 Sharing Utility Expenses with Excluded, or Ineligible Household Members

When the household lives with and shares utility expenses with an excluded/ineligible household member(s), the worker should not prorate the SUA.

63-238.3 Sharing Expenses with Separate Households

The CalFresh household may live with another household(s), which may or may not participate in CalFresh. If these households share shelter and/or utility expenses, the worker shall allow actual expenses for each household to determine the shelter deduction based in its household composition: · The full utility allowance if the CalFresh eligible household(s) is eligible for a utility allowance, and · The actual shelter/rent/mortgage cost paid by the household.

63-238.4

Sharing Shelter Expenses with Excluded Members

The worker shall identify which excluded members are contributors.

Contributors are those household members who share the residence and the expense of the residence by paying or obligating money from their separate income or resources.

If …	And If ...	Then ...
IPV Disqualified and/or Workfare/ Work Sanctioned	The CalFresh household shares deductible expenses with members who are excluded because they are IPV disqualified or have been sanctioned for refusing to fulfill workfare or work requirements.	The entire shelter cost (rent or mortgage) and utility allowances are counted as deductions for the CalFresh household budget.
Ineligible Noncitizen and/or SSN Disqualified	The CalFresh household members who are ineligible noncitizens or members excluded for SSN disqualification pay part or all of the deductible expenses	· The expenses, with the exception of the SUA, will be prorated among all members and only the eligible members’ share is counted as the deduction. · If any ineligible noncitizen contributes to the household expense, all ineligible noncitizens of that household are counted in the proration. · If any SSN disqualified member contributes to the household expense, all SSN disqualified members of that household are counted in the proration. · To be considered a contributor the ineligible noncitizen or SSN disqualified member must actually be using his/her income or resources to contribute. If s/he were acting solely as an agent or payee for another household member, s/he would not be included in the proration. NOTE: The SUA will not be prorated under any circumstance.

63-238.5

Example: Excluded CalFresh Household Member Not Contributing

Household Composition:

Relationship	CalFresh Status	Expense Contribution
Father	Ineligible noncitizen	Does not contribute. Has no income
Mother	Eligible noncitizen	Contributes. Receives CW
Two Children	Eligible	Receive CW

In the household composition above, the worker would not consider the father in the proration calculation solely based on the relationship with the mother. He is not calculated into the proration because he has no income therefore lacking the means to make a contribution.

63-238.6 Expense Shared With Excluded SSI Recipients / Students

If the CalFresh household shares deductible expenses with members who are excluded because they are SSI recipients or excluded students, amounts contributed by those excluded members will be deducted from the allowable expense. Only the remaining dollar amount will be allowed as the CalFresh household’s deduction. · If payments or contributions made by these excluded members cannot be differentiated, the expenses will be prorated evenly among the members contributing to the expense and only the CalFresh household’s prorated share is counted as the deduction. · If an SSI recipient and/or excluded student household member does not contribute to the household expenses, he/she is not counted in the proration. NOTE: The proration does not apply to the SUA.

63-238.7

Calculating Shelter Expenses in Shared Living Situations

To prorate within the CalFresh household:

Step

Action

1

Find the sum of contributors. The categories and treatment are as follows:

If ...	Then ...
Some household members are excluded for CalFresh:	Count all CalFresh eligible persons plus any person disqualified for IPV or workfare/work sanction.
Some household members are excluded because of their noncitizen status or SSN disqualified:	· If one ineligible noncitizen contributes or has income, count all ineligible noncitizens. · If one SSN disqualified member contributes or has income, count all SSN disqualified members.
Some household members are excluded because they are SSI recipients or excluded students:	Count only the person (s) contributing when the contributions cannot be differentiated.

2

Divide the total applicable expense by the total number of contributors found in (1) above top arrive at the prorated share per person.

3

Multiply the prorated share from (2) above by the number of CalFresh eligible persons and IPV or workfare/work sanctioned persons from (1) above.

This is the prorated share of expenses to allow the CalFresh eligible members.

Do not prorate the SUA.

Example 1

Shared Living Situation: Ineligible Noncitizen with Income

Household composition:

Relationship		CalFresh Status		Contribution
Mother		Ineligible noncitizen		Contributes. Has income
Two children		Eligible		CalWORKs
Total Rent: $300 Eligible for the SUA ($331)
Step	Action		Result
1	Determine the number of households sharing the residency		HH A: Ineligible noncitizen mother and two children
2	Determine the number of households contributing to the expense		HH A = 1
3	Determine the amount of each household’s contribution		HH A: Rent: $300 SUA: $331
4	Determine the amount to be used in the CalFresh budget		Rent: $300 ¸ 3 = $100 x 2 = $200 Allow full SUA $331

Example 2

Shared Living Situation: Not Contributors Ineligible Noncitizen

Household composition:

Relationship		CalFresh Status		Contribution
Mother		Ineligible noncitizen		No Contribution. Has no income
Two children		Eligible		CalWORKs
Total Rent: $300 Eligible for the SUA ($331)
Step
Action		Result
1	Determine the number of households sharing the residency		HH A: Ineligible noncitizen mother and 2 CalWORKs children
2	Determine the number of households contributing to the expense		HH A = 1 (two members contributing)
3	Determine the amount of each household’s contribution		HH A: Rent: $300 SUA: $331
4	Determine the amount to be used in the CalFresh budget		Rent: $300 ¸ 2 (CW children) = $150 x 2 = $300 SUA: $331
Whether or not the ineligible noncitizen contributes, the CalFresh household is allowed the SUA

Example 3

Shared Living Situation: Ineligible Noncitizen, Separate HH, and Excluded Student

Household composition:

Relationship		CalFresh Status		Contribution
Mother		Ineligible noncitizen		Contributes. Has income
Two children		Eligible		CalWORKs
Unrelated Adult		P/P food separately from CalFresh household		Pays $150 for Rent & $113 for Utilities
Excluded Student		P/P food with CalFresh household		No Contribution
Total Rent: $400 Eligible for the SUA ($331)
Step	Action		Result
1	Determine the number of households sharing the residency		HH A: Ineligible noncitizen mother, 2 CW children, and the Excluded Student HH B: Unrelated Adult
2	Determine the number of households contributing to the expense		HH A + HH B = 2
3	Determine the amount of each household’s contribution		HH A: Rent $400-$150 = $250 HH B: Rent $150 & utilities
4	Determine the amount to be used in the CalFresh budget		Rent: $250 ¸ 3 (mother & CW children) = $83.33 x 2 (2children) = $166.67 SUA: $331
Excluded student doesn’t contribute, therefore isn’t included in the proration. The SUA is never prorated.

Example 4

Shared Living Situation: SSI recipient, and IPV

Household composition:

Relationship		CalFresh Status		Contribution
Mother		Ineligible IPV		Contributes. Has income
Two children		Eligible		CalWORKs
Adult in household		Not eligible SSI recipient. P/P food with CalFresh household		Contribution Unknown
Total Rent: $400 Eligible for SUA ($331)
Step	Action		Result
1	Determine the number of households sharing the residency		HH A: IPV disqualified mother, 2 CW children, and SSI recipient
2	Determine the number of households contributing to the expense		HH A = 1
3	Determine the amount of each household’s contribution		HH A: Rent: $400 SUA: $331
4	Determine the amount to be used in the household budget		Rent: $400 ¸ 4 (IPV mother, 2 children, and SSI)= $100 x 3 (2 CW children + IPV mother) = $300 SUA: $331

Example 5

Shared Living Situation: Ineligible Noncitizen/ Non-Family Member

Household composition:

Relationship		CalFresh Status		Contribution
Father		Eligible		Contributes. Has income
Three children		Eligible		CalWORKs
Unrelated adult		Ineligible noncitizen P/P with family		Contributes $150 for Rent
Total Rent: $400 Eligible for SUA ($331)
Step	Action		Result
1	Determine the number of households sharing the residency		HH A: Father, 3 CW children, and ineligible noncitizen
2	Determine the number of households contributing to the expense		HH A = 1
3	Determine the amount of each household’s contribution		HH A: Rent: $400 SUA: $331
4	Determine the amount to be used in the CalFresh budget		Rent: $400 ¸ 5 = $80 x 4 (father and 3 children) = $320 SUA = $331
Known contribution of ineligible noncitizen is not deducted as he/she P/P with the family. He/she is included in the proration and the CalFresh household is allowed all but his portion.

Example 6

Shared Living Situation: SSI Grandmother, SSI Child, and Ineligible Noncitizen Adult

Household composition:

Relationship		CalFresh Status		Contribution
Mother		Eligible		Contributes. Has income.
Two children		Eligible		CalWORKs
Sibling Child		SSI Not eligible		Contribution Unknown
Adult		Ineligible noncitizen P/P food with CalFresh household		No Contribution. Has no income.
Grandmother		SSI recipient - P/P food separately		Pays $150 towards the Rent
Total Rent: $500 Eligible for SUA ($331)
Step	Action		Result
1	Determine the number of households sharing the residency		HH A: Mother, 2 CW children, SSI Child, and noncitizen adult HH B: Grandmother
2	Determine the number of households contributing to the expense		HH A + HH B = 2
3	Determine the amount of each household’s contribution		HH A: Rent $500-$150 = $350 SUA: $331 HH B: Rent $150
4	Determine the amount to be used in the CalFresh budget		Rent: $350 ¸ 4 (mother, 2CW children, SSI child) = $87.5 x 3 (mother & 2children) = $262.5 SUA: $331
The ineligible noncitizen is not included in the proration because he/she does not pay anything towards these expenses (has no income) therefore is not a contributor. Whether or not the ineligible noncitizen contributes, the CalFresh household is allowed the full SUA.

63-238.8

Deduction Decision Chart for Shared Living Situations

Household	Shelter Cost	Utilities	Income
Separate households (within residence)	Allow actual amount paid by CalFresh household as deduction. If contribution cannot be differentiated, prorate by the number of households contributing.	If the CalFresh household is eligible for one of the utility allowances, SUA, LUA, or TUA, allow the full amount of the utility deduction.	Not available to CalFresh household.
IPV/Work Sanction (within CalFresh household)	Count total eligible members and IPV and Work sanctioned excluded members rent in budget.		Count all.
SSI Recipient/ Excluded Student (within CalFresh household)	Deduct contribution of excluded members from expense, allow the CalFresh household the remainder as its deduction If the contribution cannot be differentiated, prorate and allow only the portion attributed to eligible household members.		Not available to CalFresh household.
Ineligible Noncitizen/SSN Disqualified (within CalFresh household)	Prorate expense: divide evenly among eligible members and excluded members; count eligible member’s share.		Prorate: divide evenly among eligible members and excluded members. Count only eligible member’s share.