CalWORKs

44-211.553 Temporary Homeless Assistance Program+14

Purpose

(  ) To release a new policy

(  ) To release a new form

(  ) To convert existing policy to new writing style only – No concept changes

(X) Revision of existing policy and/or form(s)

What changed?

Effective January 1, 2019, the nightly rate for the County Temporary Homeless Assistance Program (THAP)+14 will increase from $65 to $85 per day for a family of four or less and $15 for each additional family member up to a maximum of $145 per day.

Note:  Changes are shown highlighted in grey throughout the document.

Policy

Effective December 23, 2014, DPSS reinstated THAP+14.  THAP+14 supplements the Temporary Homeless Assistance (HA) Program by providing an additional 14 days of temporary shelter payments.  This allows homeless participants to stay in a hotel, motel or shelter agency in the business of providing daily rates, while seeking permanent housing.  Although THAP+14 can potentially supplement the Temporary HA Program, each of these programs has its own policy and eligibility requirements.

Effective January 1, 2019, THAP+14 provides $85 per day for a family of four or less and $15 for each additional family member up to a maximum of $145 per day. 

To qualify for THAP+14, the family must meet all of the following requirements:

THAP+14 does not have to be issued in 14 consecutive days; however, eligible families are only entitled to 14 days of benefits.  The THAP+14 payments should be issued in increments of seven days.  The family must provide a shelter receipt for the first issuance prior to receiving the remaining issuance.  In addition, the family must provide a shelter receipt after receiving the second issuance and occupying shelter for those days.

Families that received the initial seven days, must continue to meet the eligibility requirements in order to receive the subsequent/remaining issuance (second increment of seven days).  Families that had a scheduled initial/follow-up appointment and received the initial seven days, must have attended the scheduled appointment with the GSW in order to receive the subsequent issuance (second increment of seven days).  

THAP+14 is limited to once-in-a-lifetime with exceptions.  The exceptions are: Domestic Violence (DV), mental or physical illness, prior residence becoming uninhabitable, and natural disaster.  Proof of the exceptional circumstance(s) must be provided.  A CalWORKs participant can only receive THAP+14 as an exception under the following conditions:

1.    One year has passed since the last time they exhausted THAP+14; and

2.    It is a different period of homelessness since the last time the family received THAP+14.

Background

In an effort to reduce homelessness, DPSS implemented THAP+14 in January 2005, to supplement the Temporary HA Program. The Program has been discontinued and reinstated off and on throughout the years based on available Single Allocation funding.

Assembly Bill 1811 (Chapter 35, Statutes of 2018) made changes to the Temporary HA Program.  Effective January 1, 2019, the daily rate for the Temporary HA Program will be increased from $65 to $85.  Due to this change, effective January 1, 2019, the THAP+14 will be aligned with the Temp HA Program.  The new daily rate will be $85 per day for a family of four or less and $15 for each additional family member up to a maximum of $145 per day.

Definitions

N/A

Requirements

Verification Documents