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Discussion on rent factoring in benefit calculations

1:34:13

·

90 sec

Council Member Ayala and Jill Berry from DSS discuss how rent is factored into benefit calculations. Berry explains that the full amount of rent cannot be factored in due to the shelter allowance cap, which is inadequate.

Rent calculation for benefits is capped at the shelter allowance amount
For an individual, the maximum rent expense that can be calculated is $215 a month
Ayala expresses concern about the inadequacy of this calculation

Diana Ayala

1:34:13

Does does does rent get factored in to a person's, you know, monthly expenses and as a means of determining how much an individual should be receiving or what other because I mean, we have a lot of we have people that are working, right, working poor, and they're paying a lot of their income on rent.

1:34:34

They may not have enough, you know, to purchase foods, but their income makes makes it so that they're not necessarily eligible.

1:34:43

Do you factor in the rent as a

Jill Berry

1:34:47

We are we do we are unfortunately unable to factor in the full amount of the rent.

1:34:54

The the amount of rent that we are able to calculate as part of the standard of need for cash assistance and staff benefits is capped at the shelter allowance amount which we all know is inadequate.

Diana Ayala

1:35:07

What is the what is that amount?

Jill Berry

1:35:08

So it's for an individual it's $215 a month.

1:35:11

That is the most of that we are of the rent expense that we're actually able to calculate when we are determining SNAP and cash eligibility.

Diana Ayala

1:35:21

That's horrible, that's horrible.

1:35:23

It's almost the same thing like with with section eight and and you know any subsidized housing like we're asking folks to pay 30% of their income, but instead of asking them to pay 30% of their net income, we're asking them to pay 30% of their gross income and for some people that means an entire check.

1:35:40

You know, this is that that's that's just horrible.

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Support and food assistance for new shelter residents