be careful!! my cousin got an overpayment notice bcuz she didnt report a side job and now they take money out of her benefits every month to pay it back. its better to just tell them everything even if u dont have to

I just wanted to add some clarification since I've been through this exact situation recently. The SAR 7 form is super important - don't ignore it when it comes! I almost missed mine because I moved and didn't update my address right away. Also, even though your part-time income is way below your IRT, I'd recommend keeping a simple log of when you work and how much you earn. It makes filling out the SAR 7 so much easier when you have everything organized. I use a basic spreadsheet with date, hours worked, and gross pay. One more tip: if your income from this job varies month to month (like if some events get cancelled), just report what you actually received during the reporting period, not what you expected to earn. The county wants actual income, not projected income.

One more thing - make sure you keep the P-EBT card even after you use up the benefits. If they issue additional pandemic-related food benefits in the future (which seems likely given the new assistance programs being discussed), they'll reload the same card rather than sending a new one.

Anyone know if the P-EBT 4.0 benefits expire? The P-EBT 3.0 benefits had some kind of expiration date and I lost like $200 because I didn't know about it until too late 😡

Update: I called the number on my letter today and actually got through after only waiting 20 minutes! The person confirmed it's just an internal reorganization and my benefits and certification period aren't changing. They also gave me an email address specific to Team 24 that wasn't on the letter: [email protected] (sharing in case it helps someone else). Thanks everyone for the help and advice!

Just wanted to add - if you're worried about the transition, you can also request a case summary or status letter from Team 24 once they're fully handling your case. This will show your current benefit amount, certification period, and any pending actions. It's free and gives you peace of mind that everything transferred correctly. I always do this when there's any kind of change to my case, even if it's just administrative. Better to have documentation showing everything is still on track!

I've been through this exact situation with LA County DPSS. A few things that really helped me: 1. When you call, ask specifically for "Permanent Homeless Assistance" - don't let them transfer you around or tell you it doesn't exist. Some workers try to push you toward temporary assistance because it's easier for them to process. 2. The landlord will need to fill out a verification form, but DPSS has a template they can email you. Make sure your landlord is willing to work with government assistance before you get too far in the process. 3. If you're having trouble reaching your worker, try calling the main DPSS line early (like 7:30 AM) right when they open. You'll get through faster than calling mid-day. 4. Keep receipts for everything - your current housing situation, any money you've spent on temporary housing, etc. They want documentation of your homelessness. 5. The whole process took about 10 days for me from application to getting approved, but the actual payment to my landlord was within 2-3 days after approval. Don't give up if they tell you no initially - sometimes you have to advocate for yourself. Your kids need stable housing and you're doing the right thing by pursuing every option available. You've got this!

I'm a single mom who went through something similar in Orange County last year. One thing I learned that might help you - if the $2400 deposit is more than what CalWORKs Permanent Homeless Assistance will cover, ask your potential landlord if they'd be willing to split it differently. Some landlords will accept first month's rent + partial security deposit upfront, then let you pay the rest over the first few months. Also, make sure to mention to your CalWORKs worker that you're facing a custody issue - sometimes that can expedite processing since stable housing is considered in the best interest of the children. Document everything you're doing to secure housing in case you need it for court. LA County also has the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) that might still have funds available - it's separate from CalWORKs and could potentially help with move-in costs. Worth asking about when you call 211. You're doing an amazing job advocating for your family. Housing insecurity doesn't define you as a parent - your determination to find solutions does.

im so glad u asked this i was confused too!! got 4 cards for my 2 kids (2 rounds of benefits) and thought maybe they sent duplicates by accident lol

I'm in the same boat as you! Just got my second round of P-EBT cards and was super confused at first. Reading through all these comments has been really helpful - I had no idea each kid was supposed to get their own card. I've been treating them like regular EBT where the whole family shares one card. Good thing I kept all the cards from the first round! Now I need to figure out which card belongs to which kid since they all look pretty similar. Does anyone have tips for keeping track of multiple P-EBT cards?