9013.3 Boarders and Foster Care

[273.1(c)] Boarders Boarders are defined as individuals or groups of individuals residing with others and paying reasonable compensation to the others for lodging and meals (excluding residents of a commercial boarding house). Boarders are ineligible to participate in the Program independent of the household providing the board. They may participate as members of the household providing the boarder services to them, at such household's request. In no event will boarder status be granted to those individuals or groups of individuals described in DSSM 9013.1 (B) which includes children living with parents. The household with which a boarder resides (including the household of the proprietor of a boarding house) may participate in the program if the household meets all the eligibility requirements for program participation. To determine if an individual is paying reasonable compensation for meals and lodging in making a determination of boarder status, only the amount paid for meals will be used, provided that the amount paid for meals is distinguishable from the amount paid for lodging. A reasonable monthly payment will be either of the following: 1) Boarders whose board arrangement is for more than two meals a day will pay an amount which equals or exceeds the maximum food stamp allotment for the appropriate size of the boarder household; or 2) Boarders whose board arrangement is for two meals or less per day will pay an amount which equals or exceeds two-thirds of the maximum food stamp allotment for the appropriate size of the household. An individual furnished both meals and lodging by a household but paying compensation of less than a reasonable amount to the household for such services will be considered a member of the household providing the services. This means that a person paying reasonable compensation for meals is considered a boarder and can be included in the household's food stamp household if the household providing the boarder services wants them to be included. A person paying less than a reasonable amount to the household for meals must be included in the food stamp household of the household providing the service. Either way, the person paying for the meals cannot receive food stamps on their own separate from the household providing the service. None of the income or resources of individuals determined to be boarders and who are not members of the household providing the boarder services will be considered available to such household. However, the amount of the payment that a boarder gives to a household will be treated as self-employment income to the household. The procedures for handling self-employment income from boarders (other than such income received by a household that owns and operates a commercial boarding house) are set forth in DSSM 9074. The procedures for handling income from boarders by a household that owns and operates a commercial boarding house are also covered in DSSM 9074.6. For program purposes, a commercial boarding house is defined as an establishment licensed as an enterprise which offers meals and lodging for compensation. In project areas with licensing requirements, a commercial boarding house will be defined as a commercial establishment which offers meals and lodging for compensation with the intent of making a profit. The number of boarders residing in a boarding house will not be used to determine if a boarding house is a commercial enterprise. Foster Care Foster care individuals (children and adults) placed in the homes of relatives or other individuals or families by a Federal, State, or local governmental foster care program, shall be considered boarders. The foster care payments received by the household for such foster care boarders shall not be considered as available income to the household. The foster care payments are exempt from the computation of net self-employment income from boarders under DSSM 9074. Foster care children/adult boarders may participate in the Food Stamp Program as members of the household providing the boarder services to them, at such household's request. If the household chooses the option to include the foster care individuals in their food stamp household, foster care payments received by the household shall be considered unearned income to the household and counted in their entirety in determining the household's income eligibility and benefit level.