HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09161986 - 2.9 A�
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on September 16 , 1986 , by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson, Powers
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
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SUBJECT: General Assistance Standards
The Board received the attached report dated September 10 ,
1986 recommending the adoption of maximum General Assistance grant
levels effective October 1 , 1986 .
Elizabeth Arnold, representing Contra Costa Legal Services ,
1017 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, commented on the housing and
transportation allowances proposed. She requested that the Board
consider a recent survey of rental housing in the Richmond, Pittsburg
and E1 Sobrante areas prepared by Northern California Research
Associates at the request of Contra Costa Legal Services. She also
recommended that consideration be given to increasing the transpor-
tation allowance to the equivalent of an AC Transit "fast pass" .
Ms. Arnold noted that there appeared to be other changes in the
General Assistance standards and requested additional time to respond
in writing.
Peter Lauwerys, Northern California Research Associates,
920-22nd Street, Sacramento, recommended that the Board and Social
Service Department staff review the rental housing survey prepared
by his organization.
Franklin Reece, 331 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, a current
General Assistance recipient, commented on the difficulty in con-
ducting a proper job search without an adequate transportation
allowance.
Board members being in agreement, IT IS BY THE BOARD
ORDERED that the establishment of General Assistance standards is
CONTINUED to September 23, 1986 .
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Social Services Director is
REQUESTED to respond to concerns expressed relative to housing and
transportation allowances and to accept written comments from
interested persons.
hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy,of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
c c : CC Legal Services Board of Supervis rs on the date shown.
Social Services Director ATTESTED: zlelld Al QBG
County Administrator PHIL BAT ELOR, Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
By , Deputy
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SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
TO: Phil Batchelor DATE: September 10 , 1986
Cou ty Administrator
s
FROM: R. . CJo 'in, Di ctor
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SUBJECT: GENERAL- ASSIST CE RATE INCREASE
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Please find attached report and corresponding recommendations for
a General Assistance rate increase.
In 1985, the Board of Supervisors established the present maximum
grant for General Assistance recipients who live in an
independent living arrangement at $224 per month. This grant is
comprised of a flat rate for rent and utilities of $132 for
gersons residing alone; a $76 allowance for food and a $16
allowance for personal needs, transportation, and a supplemental
food allowance. Persons residing in a shared housing arrangement
are entitled to the individual food and personal need allowances,
and a flat rate for housing costs of $112.
In addition to the basic needs provided for all recipients, the
County recognizes that some recipients have needs which are not
common to recipients in general, and these are provided for as
"special need allowances. "
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
General Assistance is program designed to meet the minimum needs
of persons who are temporarily unemployed or who, by virtue of
present disability, are seeking to procure assistance to meet
their needs. In administering the General Assistance Program,
considerable emphasis is placed upon assisting the General
Assistance applicant to rely upon other resources which may be
available to meet minimum needs, in compliance with the mandate
of the Welfare and Institutions Code Section 17000 .
Accordingly, assistance from relatives and friends is requested.
Employable persons are required to seek employment and are
provided services that will prepare them for and assist them in
finding employment. Similarly, unemployable persons are referred
to and assisted in obtaining State and Federal benefits in the
form of Unemployment Insurance, Disability Insurance, Worker' s
Compensation, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income
(SSI/SSP) .
General Assistance is funded solely from county revenues with no
participation from the State and Federal Governments. Actually,
this assistance program is a responsibility imposed upon the
Gen 9c (New 3/86)
2.
Board of Supervisors to relieve indigent persons who are not
supported or relieved in any other ,manner, whether through State
or Federalprogram or by donative assistance of friends or
relatives.
The Social Service Department has done a current study of the
costs required to provide the minimum needs of General Assistance
recipients in Contra Costa County, a copy of which is attached.
Based on that study, the Director of the Social Service
Department recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt the
attached standard for administration of the General Assistance
Program, effective October 1, 1986 .
5
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3.
ESTABLISHING MAXIMUM GENERAL ASSISTANCE GRANT LEVELS
The following information is submitted to establish the basis for
General Assistance Program maximum allowances.
RECOMMENDED STANDARDS OF ASSISTANCE
I . Housing (rent and utilities) :
A. Premises•
A reasonable maximum monthly allowance should be
provided for General Assistance housing costs,
including rent and utilities. This allowance
should not exceed the cost of housing generally
available for General Assistance recipients.
B. Derivation of a Reasonable Allowance:
In July, 1986 the Department took a randomly
selected sample to determine the actual
monthly cost of housing to persons receiving
General Assistance. The data gathered showed
that 78% of the sample lived in a shared housing
arrangement with an average actual cost for rent and
utilities of $127 , and 22% lived in an unshared hous-
ing arrangement with an average actual cost for rent
and utilities of $158 . As the average actual cost of
housing is a reasonable allowance, we have estab-
lished our recommended allowances at those amounts
for housing, including rent and utilities.
C: Proposed Maximum Housing Allowance:
In view of the foregoing facts, the Department
hereby recommends that the Board establish the
following standards for housing allowances:
For unshared housing, the monthly allowance
should be $158. For persons residing in shared
housing, the rate should be $127. Additionally,
we believe a further rate should be established
for persons residing in shared housing involving
two or more persons receiving General Assistance
of $254. One-person budget units represent about
97% of the GA caseload. Almost all of the
remaining 3% are two-person budget units usually
consisting of a husband and wife. It is possible,
however, for there to be budget units of three or
more persons. Should such a budget unit need
a housing allowance of more than $254, they should
be permitted to apply for a special need allowance
to meet their additional housing needs.
4.
II . Food
A. Premises•
A reasonable monthly allowance should be provided
to all General Assistance recipients which is
sufficient to purchase a nutritionally adequate
diet, without regard to the availability of the
Food Stamp Program to increase food purchasing
power.
B. Derivation of a Reasonable Allowance:
The United State Department of Agriculture prepares
statistical data on the cost of several nutritionally
adequate diets. The least costly and yet nutritionally
adequate diet is described as a "thrifty food plan" ,
and it is on the basis of this plan that the U.S.D.A.
establishes the benefits to be payable under the
Food Stamp Program. Under the Food Stamp Program, a
table of graduated allowances provides for the actual
monthly cost to any given number of persons comprising
a single household to purchase an adequate and
nutritionally sound diet (Appendix 1) . In order to
avoid the unnecessary duplication of effort that would
be required in the development of a minimum standard
for a nutritionally adequate diet, the Department has
proceeded on the basis of the U.S.D.A. thrift food plan
allowance and, thus, recommends a monthly allowance
for food in accordance with the U.S.D.A. published
standards .
C. Proposed Maximum Food Allowance:
In view of the foregoing facts , the Department hereby
recommends that the Board establish the following
monthly allowances for food: for a one-person
household, $80 ; for a two-person household, $147 ;
for a three-person household, $211; for households
of greater size, refer to Appendix 1. In addition
to these figures, the Board has provided a Supple-
mental Food Allowance of $3 per person, which is
retained.
III. Personal Needs
A. Premises•
An allowance should be made for the personal needs
of recipients in order to encourage acceptable
standards of appearance and hygiene.
B. Derivation of a Reasonable Allowance
for Personal Needs:
In July, 1986 ,, the Department conducted a survey
of seven County stores in order to determine a
reasonable allowance for Personal Needs. We
believe that the items and cost data included in
that study reasonably represent the cost of those
items of personal need essential for an individual.
We have included laundromat services as a personal
need item since the majority of General Assistance
recipients do not have access to private laundry
facilities. A summary of this data is set forth
in Appendix 2. The data from this study indicated
. that the average monthly personal need of a
recipient is X14.30.
C. Proposed Personal Needs Allowance:
In view of the foregoing facts, the Department
recommends that the Board retain a standard
allowance of $14 per month for the miscellaneous
personal needs of General Assistance recipients.
IV. Transportation:
A. Premises:
The General Assistance allowance should
include an allowance for essential local
transportation.
B. Derivation of a Reasonable Allowance for
Local Transportation:
Public bus transportation is available
in the County. The cost of a round trip
by bus on the local lines is $1. 60 . One
round trip a week is adequate to meet the
minimum need for essential local trans-
portation. Accordingly, the Department
recommends $7 . 00 as the monthly allowance
for essential local transportation. This
figure is arrived at by multiplying the
average number of weeks in a month ( 4 1/3 )
by the cost of one local round trip by bus
per week.
C. Proposed: Transportation Allowance:
In view of the foregoing facts ; the Department
hereby recommends that .the ,Board establish
the following standard 'allowance for trans-
portation: 1
7 . 00 per month.
6.
V. Special Needs
In addition to the aforementioned basic needs pro-
vided for all recipients, the County recognizes
that some recipients have needs which are not
common to recipients in general, and these are
provided for as "special need allowances" .
Allowances for extraordinary needs not included
in the basic need allowance shall be determined
by the Social Service Director.
A. Clothing/Household Linen
1 . Premises•
In view of the fact that General Assistance
is a program to meet short-term emergent
needs, no basic need allowance is made
for the purchase of clothing and household
linen. The majority of applicants for Gene-
ral Assistance already have an essential and
adequate minimum wardrobe. Recognizing that
some recipients may not possess all of the
items considered essential to a minimum ward-
robe, or minimum household linen items, and
in consideration of the fact that persons
who remain on assistance for a significant
length of time may experience wear and tear
of these items , the Department proposes
that special need allowances continue to be
available for needed items of clothing and
household linen.
2 . Proposed Allowance
Up to $75 for each aided person within any
12-month period may be allowed to replace
items of clothing when requested by the
recipient. An amount of $15 for each aided
household within any 12-month period may be
allowed to replace items of household linen.
B. Haircuts
1. Premises:
An allowance should be available for haircuts
in order to encourage acceptable standards of
appearance.
7.
2. Derivation of a Reasonable Allowance for
Haircuts•
In July, 1986, the Department conducted a
survey of nine County beauty shops, barber
shops, and beauty colleges in order to de-
termine a reasonable allowance for haircuts.
The data from this study indicated that the
average cost per haircut is $7 .
3 . Proposed Allowance
A special need payment of $7 may be allowed
upon request, no more than every other month,
for haircuts.
C. Other Special Needs
The standards for administration of the General
Assistance Program should continue to authorize
Special Need allowances for special diets, special
transportation, special meals, employment and
training expenses, and other extraordinary needs .
VI . Medical
Indigent persons under 21 years of age are aided under
the Medi-Cal program. Indigent persons over 21 years
of age receive medical care through the State-mandated
Basic Adult Care Program provided by the Contra Costa
Health Services Department. All recipients of General
Assistance are eligible for either Medi-Cal or Basic
Adult Care.
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APPENDIX I
Thrifty Food Plan Allowances as of November 1, 1985
Household Size Allowance
1 $ 80
2 147
3 211
4 268
5 318
6 382
7 422
8 483
9 543
10 603
APPENDIX II
ANNUAL COST OF PERSONAL NEED ITEMS AT SEVEN STORES, 7/86
Stores Surveyed: Food 4 Less - Antioch
Bruno's Market - West Pittsburg
Barrett Avenue Market - Richmond
Longs - San Pablo
Food Bowl - San Pablo
Lucky's - Richmond
Payless - Martinez
NEED ITEMS ANNUAL QUANTITY AVERAGE ANNUAL COST
Toilet soap 18 bars, 3.5 oz. each $ 6.40
Tooth brush 2 1.25
Toothpaste 7 tubes, 4.6 oz. each 8.96
Comb & brush 1 each 2.08
Shampoo 4 bottles, 16 oz. each 6.65
Deodorant 4 bottles, 2.5 oz. each 10.46
Dishwashing soap 3 bottles, 22 oz. each 3.06
Laundry soap 5 boxes, 42 oz. each 8.42
Razor blades 3 packs, 10 each 9.41
Toilet paper 12 - 4 packs 10.82. ..
Aspirin 200-tablet minimum. . : s 3.86
Antacid 1 bottle, 75 count each 2.54
Band-aids 1 box, 70 count 2.64
First-Aid cream 1 tube, I oz. 3.09
Cough syrup 1 bottle, 4 oz. 2.93
Laundromat service 1 load per week 65.00
Cosmetics 1 each, lipstick & mascara 5.03
Sanitary pads 6 boxes, 30 in each 19.06
ANNUAL TOTAL 171 .66
MONTHLY AVERAGE 14.30
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