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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 21 2.4.2 Boarders A boarder is someone who pays a fee to a commercial entity, individual or household for meals or meals and housing. 2.4.2.1 Residents of Commercial Boarding Houses Boarders in a commercial boarding house are ineligible to participate in SNAP. A commercial boarding house is an establishment licensed to offer meals and housing for compensation. Commercial boarding houses are not institutions discussed in Section 2.5, Persons Living in an Institution. 2.4.2.2 Other Boarders Individuals or groups of individuals not residing in a commercial boarding house but paying a reasonable amount for meals or meals and lodging are considered boarders. These individuals cannot participate in SNAP as a separate household from the household providing the meals or meals and lodging. 2.4.2.2.1 Determining if a Boarder Pays a Reasonable Amount for Compensation If the boarder gets more than two meals a day, they must pay at least as much as the SNAP maximum allotment for their household size for meals or meals and housing. If the boarder gets two or fewer meals a day, the reasonable compensation means the boarder pays at least as much as two-thirds of the SNAP maximum allotment for their household size:  If the boarder pays a reasonable amount for meals or meals and housing, the household that provides the meals or meals and housing can choose if they include the boarder in their household. The boarder cannot be a separate SNAP household.  If the boarder does not pay a reasonable amount for meals or meals and housing, they do not meet the definition of a boarder for SNAP. The household that provides the board must include the boarder in their SNAP household. ESA cannot consider a mandatory household member as a boarder for SNAP (see Section 2.2.1, Mandatory Household Members). If a boarder is excluded from the SNAP household, the amount the boarder pays the household providing boarder services minus reasonable expenses is counted as self- employment income for the household. Example Laverne and James Watkins take boarders into their home to help with their expenses. Leslie Smith stays at the Watkins’ home and pays $250 a month for room and board, which includes two meals a day. Because the $250 Leslie pays is more than the maximum SNAP allotment for a one-person household, she is considered a boarder. The Watkins can choose whether to include Leslie in their SNAP household. If they choose to exclude her, Leslie cannot receive SNAP while boarding with the Watkins.

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