1,700 Could Lose Food Benefits Over Rule Change
Additional Requirements for Food Stamps Will Have ‘Punitive Effect,’ Says Social Services Office
In Santa Barbara County, 38,000-39,000 people utilize food stamps through CalFresh, California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). On average, their gross monthly employment income is just $142. When combined with CalFresh and other welfare benefits, their monthly income increases to $607. Now, the Trump administration is imposing new conditions for accessing food benefits that would lead to around 1,700 county residents losing those benefits, which amount to around $148 a month on average, when the rule goes into effect in April 2020.
Current rules state that work-eligible, able-bodied adults without dependents, known as ABAWDs, must be working at least 20 hours a week to qualify for SNAP benefits. If they are not meeting those requirements, recipients are eligible for just three months’ worth of benefits over the course of three years. While states previously had the ability to waive work requirements based on exceptional economic circumstances such as high unemployment, the Trump administration is moving to do away with this ability.
The rule change would result in around 700,000 people losing access to food stamps nationwide, and two more proposed rule changes that have yet to be confirmed could raise this number to 3.7 million, including half a million families with children. The changes to work requirements apply only to ABAWDs, who do not have dependents, so no children would be affected unless the two other rules go into effect.
