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Subject: SNAP Deductions from Income

Policy 24.18 Date of Last Review: 11/30/2023 Effective Date: 09/17/2018 Date of Next Review: 11/30/2026 RDA: SW22 Page 5 of 20 h. rental insurance; and i. charges for repair of the home that have been or will be reimbursed by private or public relief agencies such as insurance agencies or from any other source. 5. Homeless HH’s Shelter Standard a. Homeless HHs that incur or expect to incur shelter costs during the month shall be eligible for a homeless HH shelter standard. b. HHs which receive free housing and utilities throughout the month would not be eligible. c. A homeless HH which uses the special standard is not entitled to the standard utility allowance (SUA) since average utility costs are included in the estimate. d. Homeless HHs with shelter costs higher than the HH standard would be able to claim these costs if they can be reasonably verified. If there is no such verification the homeless HH standard would be used. e. The eligibility counselor shall use prudent judgment in determining if verification obtained is adequate. Once there is a noticeable pattern to a homeless HH’s shelter costs, the certification period can be adjusted accordingly. The HH at any time can report changes in their circumstances, including shelter costs. 6. Standard Utility Allowance (SUA) a. The SUA is used in calculating the shelter costs of those HHs which directly incur heating or cooling expenses on a regular basis separate and apart from their rent or mortgage payment. b. This includes residents of rental housing who are billed on a monthly basis by their landlords for actual usage as determined through individual metering or who are charged a flat rate separately from their rent. 7. Standard Telephone Allowance A standard telephone allowance is to be used in calculating the shelter costs for HHs which incur a separate telephone expense, but are not entitled to any other utility allowance. 8. Actual Utility Expenses a. Actual utility costs may be deducted if the HH can verify these costs, and it can be reasonably anticipated that the costs will continue for the length of the certification period. b. A HH living in public housing or other rental housing which has central utility meters and charges the HH only for excess heating or cooling costs cannot be permitted to use the SUA, unless eligible for it based on Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) policy. These HHs may elect to have their excess utility costs allowed in the billing month, or have the excess averaged forward over the interval between scheduled billings. (The HH may use the basic utility allowance (BUA) if eligible.)