CalFresh Work Rules Could Cut Aid

California will begin enforcing new CalFresh work and community engagement rules on June 1, 2026, under federal changes that expand who must meet work requirements to keep food benefits. The California Department of Social Services says the rules will apply to certain adults ages 18 to 64 who do not have a disability and do not have a dependent child under 14. In Santa Clara County, local officials say about 55,000 people could be affected. Bay Area officials and food-bank leaders say the changes are arriving as hunger relief groups are already serving large numbers of residents. ### Who will have to meet the new CalFresh rules on June 1? The California Department of Social Services says the new rules apply starting June 1, 2026, to some CalFresh recipients between ages 18 and 64 who are able to work and do not live with a dependent child under 14. The agency says those recipients may need to meet work or community engagement requirements to get or keep benefits. (cdss.ca.gov) KQED reported that California will require affected recipients to work 20 hours a week, or an average of 80 hours a month, under the federal guidelines now being enforced in the state. The outlet said the rules now reach a broader group, including adults up to age 64 and some parents with children 14 and older. (cdss.ca.gov) The California department says some people can still be excused from the rules. Its guidance lists exemptions including disability, certain caregiving responsibilities, school or training attendance at least half-time, receipt of unemployment or disability benefits, or already working enough hours or earning enough weekly income. ### How many people could lose aid in Santa Clara County and across California? (kqed.org) Santa Clara County officials said in July 2025 that about 55,000 county residents were at risk because of SNAP changes, including stricter work requirements. The county said nearly 134,000 people in Santa Clara County relied on CalFresh at that time. (cdss.ca.gov) NBC Bay Area reported this week that about 1 million Californians receiving food assistance will be required to prove they work at least 20 hours a week, and that state officials estimate roughly 665,000 people may not meet the requirement. KQED, citing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised May budget and California Department of Social Services estimates, reported that 2.6 million Californians will be subject to the work requirements starting June 1 and that as many as 562,000 CalFresh users could ultimately lose benefits after the new time-limit rules take hold. (news.santaclaracounty.gov) The differing statewide figures reflect different measures of who will be covered and who may fail to qualify. (nbcbayarea.com) ### What happens if someone does not meet the work requirement? Federal SNAP rules limit certain adults without dependents to three months of food benefits in a three-year period if they do not meet the required work standard. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service says the rule is part of the ABAWD, or able-bodied adults without dependents, time-limit framework. (kqed.org) NBC Bay Area reported that people who do not meet the new requirement will only be eligible for three months of benefits during a 36-month period. KQED said California had broadly waived that time-limit policy since 2020, but that statewide waiver authority has now been curtailed and none of the seven counties still eligible for broader waivers are in the Bay Area. (fns.usda.gov) ### Why are Bay Area officials warning about food banks? Tracy Weatherby, chief impact officer for Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, said in a Santa Clara County news release that the county and the food bank were “incredibly concerned” about changes tied to H.R. 1. She said the food bank was already serving one in six people across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. (nbcbayarea.com) James R. Williams, the Santa Clara County executive, said in a July 2025 county statement that the federal changes were “unconscionable” at a time when food pantries were at capacity and food insecurity was rising. County officials said the new rules could take basic food assistance away from families already struggling with rent, layoffs, illness or other disruptions. (news.santaclaracounty.gov) ### Where can recipients check whether they are exempt? The California Department of Social Services says recipients can use the state’s CalFresh Work and Community Engagement Requirements pre-screening tool to check whether the rules apply to them or whether they may be excused. The department has also posted outreach materials explaining the June 1 changes. San Francisco Human Services Agency outreach materials say the new rules will apply when affected recipients apply or renew benefits. (news.santaclaracounty.gov) The state’s June 1 rollout means county social services offices and local outreach groups are directing recipients to review their status now, before renewal or recertification deadlines arrive. (sfhsa.org) (cdss.ca.gov)