1110.020.05 Home – DSS Manuals

IM-14 February 23, 2007

The home and surrounding property (regardless of the number of lots or acres) furnishing primary shelter for the EU are excluded.

Consider property as adjoining even though a road may run through the surrounding property and separate it from the home.

Do not consider property as adjoining if it is separated from the home by intervening property owned by others.

This exclusion applies even when the property is temporarily unoccupied for reasons of employment, training for future employment, illness, or rendered uninhabitable due to casualty or a natural disaster, if the EU intends to return. Intent to return to the residence is established by the EU’s statement. Further verification is required only if the EU’s statement is inconsistent with previous statements made by the EU, information on the application or previous applications, or other information known to FSD. Use the following criteria to determine the EU’s intent to return. The EU’s statement regarding the reason for absence, intent to return, and living arrangement made in new or same project area. Any EU statements to other persons in the community (collaterals designated by the EU). Arrangements made, if any, for the disposition of the home, furniture, and household goods. Medical reports if the absence is due to illness. The home is entered on the Real Property (FMW4) screen. Use type code HS for a home and up to 40 acres and type code LO for land over 40 acres adjoining home. Enter usage code PR for primary residence. Other programs must have the distinction, but both codes are excluded from the resource determination for the Food Stamp Program. If property is separated from the home by intervening property owned by others, therefore not considered adjoining, use type code LA . FAMIS includes this property in the determination, unless excluded for other reasons. Refer to Real and Personal Property 1110.020.20 Real and Personal Property for more information.

EUs that currently do not own a home, but own or are purchasing a lot on which to build or are building a permanent home, receive an exclusion for the value of the lot and, if it is partially completed, for the home. Enter type code LA for lots/acreage and usage code FH for future home.

Always review the Financial Resource Detail Summary (FMWG) screen prior to authorizing a case action to ensure resources you expect to be excluded are excluded in the determination. From the Action Authorization (FM3H) screen, press F15=RESOURCE to view the Financial Resource Detail Summary (FMWG) screen. If the resource is incorrect, select the resource and press F6=DETAILS to return to the appropriate screen and correct the inaccurate information.