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13 The People's Guide 2013-2014 DPSS HOMELESS SERVICES If your family is homeless, or has received a notice to pay or quit, the DPSS can give you money for temporary shelter and to help with move-in costs to a permanent home or to avoid being evicted. The money is in addition to your CalWORKs cash aid and does not have to be paid back. To apply you must be • homeless or have received a notice to pay or quit • eligible for CalWORKs • and not have more than $100. You are "homeless" if you have no regular, permanent place to live for any reason. You do not have to stay in a shelter to prove that you are homeless. You may be asked to prove that you are homeless, but money cannot be denied or delayed if you do not have proof. It is against the law for any government agency to take children away from parents for being homeless unless there is evidence of abuse or neglect. Homelessness by itself is not child abuse or neglect. Usually you can get this homeless assis- tance aid only once in a lifetime. However, a family can get help more than once if the cause is: • Domestic violence by a spouse, partner, or roommate • A physical or mental illness (but not including drug addiction or alcoholism) and you have a written doctor's note. • A fire or natural disaster or your home was condemned, or some other unusual circumstance beyond your control. 1. Temporary Shelter Money You can get money for up to 16 consecutive days to stay in a hotel or shelter if they charge rent. You cannot use this money to pay to stay with a friend. You will get $65 to $125 per day to pay for shelter, depending on your family size. If you find some place for less money than they give you, you can keep the extra money. You must show receipts to prove that you have paid something for shelter. (If you cannot show receipts, you can still get homeless aid money but it will be paid directly to the hotel or shelter). You will also have to fill out a form showing that you have looked for a permanent place to live for each day that you received the shelter. If eligible, DPSS should help you the same day you apply, either by giving you a referral to a specific shelter with room for you or by giving you cash that day. If they refer you to a shelter, they must give you temporary shelter money by the next day. Even if you decide not to go to the shel- ter ask for money for as many nights as needed during a single 16-day period. (For example, you cannot get a week now and another week two months from now.) If you needed but did not receive all 16 days of temporary homeless assistance, request a hearing to collect it retroactively. After the 16 days are over, make sure to provide your worker with a mailing address (even if only temporary) within 10 days. Getting an Extra 14 Days: You can get 14 additional days of assistance (unless the County runs out of funds for the program.) You can be eligible if you enroll and comply with the rules in the Homeless CalWORKs Families Project and the following applies: • you are receiving CalWORKs and you are working full-time or enrolled and actively participating in GAIN; or : • you are timed out from CalWORKs and you are in GAIN Post-Time Limit Services; • or you are a domestic violence victim 2. Money to Get and Keep Per- manent Housing You can also get money to cover the actual cost of security and utility deposits includ- ing the "last month's rent" deposit, and gas, electricity, and water deposits. The DPSS will not pay for the first month's rent, though, or old overdue utility bills because you must pay that from your CalWORKs cash aid. The DPSS will not pay unless you find a place where your share of the monthly rent is not more than 80% of the Total Monthly Household Income. If you plan to share your housing, the landlord must agree to the rent-share plan. DPSS will question the housing unless your name is on the lease. If you are a CalWORKs participant now you must be given this permanent housing as- sistance within one working day of showing that you have found a place. If you are not yet receiving CalWORKs benefits, you must first bring in the documents you need to prove you are eligible for CalWORKs, and proof that you have found a place (like a note from the landlord or a proposed rental agreement). When you pay your landlord, get a receipt to give to your worker within 30 days. If you later move, the landlord and/or the utility companies should return the security deposits to you, not to the County, to use at your next residence. You can also get Permanent Housing As- sistance to receive up to 2 months of back rent to prevent eviction. Each month of this back rent cannot be more than 80% of the Total Monthly Household Income. Call Legal Aid for details (pg. 68) 3. Emergency Assistance to Pre- vent Eviction (EAPE) Program If you are at risk of losing your home because you didn't pay the rent due to a financial hardship (not for any other lease or contract violation), EAPE can give you money to pay back rent and/or utilities up to two months behind so that you can continue living there. To be eligible for EAPE you must be approved for CalWORKs and working full-time or enrolled and actively participating in GAIN, or timed off CalWORKs and participating in GAIN Post-Time Limit Services, AND show that you are going through a financial hardship that could result in homelessness if help is not given. Once the worker verifies you are eligible you can get up to $2,000 to pay past due rent and/or utilities for up to two months. You must agree to pay part of the past due rent and/or utilities. EAPE money does not pay for the present month rent and utilities---unless you have received a pay or quit notice for the current month's rent. 4. Moving Assistance (MA) Program MA can give you money to help you secure a permanent place to live. To qualify you must be approved for CalWORKs working full-time or enrolled and actively participat- ing in GAIN or timed out from CalWORKs and participating in GAIN Post-Time Limit Services, AND: be homeless or be at risk of being home- less (you already got an eviction notice or 3-day notice), or you can show that you have a financial hardship that will result in your being homeless if you don't get help. If you are already homeless, you must have used up all other assistance such as Homeless Assistance to get MA. Once the worker verifies you are eligible you can get up to $2,000 as a once in a lifetime CalWORKs