Page 84

Vermont Department for Children and Families Reach Up Eligibility Rules Economic Services Division 2200 82

and mobile homes.

b. Real property owned, used, and occupied as a home by the Reach Up household shall be excluded from combined resources limitation.

c. The value of the Reach Up household's equity in real property that is owned but is not being occupied as a home by the household, may be excluded from the combined resources limitation for a period of up to 6 months provided the household is making a good faith effort to sell the property.

1. A good faith effort to sell means:

i. The property is listed with a reputable real estate agent or publicly advertised in a general newspaper, magazine, or online publication no less than weekly;

ii. The household is cooperating in marketing the property; and

iii. The household accepts reasonable purchase offers.

2. Reach Up benefits paid during this home sale period shall be considered an overpayment.

3. The household must agree that the proceeds of the sale shall be used to repay the Reach Up benefits received during this home sale period.

i. Any balance of the home sale proceeds shall be counted as a resource.

d. If at the end of six months the property has not sold, and the Reach Up household continues to demonstrate a good faith effort to sell, the equity may be excluded from resources for a further period of 3 months with the approval of the Department.

1. The equity must be considered a resource if the property is still unsold at the end of this additional three-month period.

e. When a Reach Up household is temporarily living at a location other than property owned, and that property was previously used and occupied as their home, this temporarily uninhabitable property will be excluded from combined resources limitation. (rule 2247).

1. When the home is uninhabitable for more than six months, exemption of the property as a home must be re-evaluated.

2256 Personal Property (08/01/2024, 23-28)

a. Personal property includes all liquid or non-liquid assets, other than real property.

b. The Reach Up household may agree to convert payments being received as income on notes and mortgages under an installment contract to liquid assets.

c. If payments are not being made on an installment contract and steps are not being initiated to foreclose, the entire equity remaining in a mortgage shall be considered a resource.

Page 84

Official source

Vermont Department for Children and Families Reach Up Eligibility Rules Economic Services Division 2200 82

and mobile homes.

b. Real property owned, used, and occupied as a home by the Reach Up household shall be excluded from combined resources limitation.

1. A good faith effort to sell means:

i. The property is listed with a reputable real estate agent or publicly advertised in a general newspaper, magazine, or online publication no less than weekly;

ii. The household is cooperating in marketing the property; and

iii. The household accepts reasonable purchase offers.

2. Reach Up benefits paid during this home sale period shall be considered an overpayment.

3. The household must agree that the proceeds of the sale shall be used to repay the Reach Up benefits received during this home sale period.

i. Any balance of the home sale proceeds shall be counted as a resource.

1. The equity must be considered a resource if the property is still unsold at the end of this additional three-month period.

1. When the home is uninhabitable for more than six months, exemption of the property as a home must be re-evaluated.

2256 Personal Property (08/01/2024, 23-28)

a. Personal property includes all liquid or non-liquid assets, other than real property.

b. The Reach Up household may agree to convert payments being received as income on notes and mortgages under an installment contract to liquid assets.

c. If payments are not being made on an installment contract and steps are not being initiated to foreclose, the entire equity remaining in a mortgage shall be considered a resource.