Los Angeles County officials told the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 12 that proposed federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, would sharply reduce federal support and create substantial funding shortfalls for the county.

County Chief Executive Officer Fisha Davenport and Dr. Contreras, director of the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS), briefed supervisors during a 20-minute set‑matter presentation and said new information sharpened the county’s projections for how cuts would affect benefits and operations.

The presentation said CalFresh serves about 1,600,000 county residents and that, effective Oct. 1, 2026, the federal government’s current share of CalFresh funding would be cut by half. Davenport said the change would reduce federal funds by “nearly $190,000,000,” create a state funding gap of $131,500,000, and raise the county’s net cost by $56,400,000 to continue drawing down state and federal dollars.

“The consequences of these cuts are significant and troubling,” Davenport said, adding that the county had “better information on what a Federal cut would look like in terms of funding to the County, impact on residents, and county employees.” Dr. Contreras told the board that the $56,400,000 figure represents the county’s required contribution under the 70/30 funding framework the state is honoring; he said that contribution would rise under the proposed federal change.

County staff warned that the projected gap could require eliminating as many as 1,089 eligibility worker positions and reducing the program budget by about $250,000,000. DPSS staff said eligibility workers determine benefits tied to roughly $3,800,000,000 in annual assistance. Officials said higher caseloads for remaining staff could increase error rates and trigger federal or state penalties.

Supervisors pressed staff on the degree to which the county could absorb the cuts, whether the state’s funding posture would change, and what steps the county was taking to mitigate harm. Supervisor Holly Mitchell said the cuts to SNAP and related proposals are “the most devastating in our nation’s history,” and asked departments to include in future briefings specific action steps the county would take to protect residents and to explain how changes would be experienced at the neighborhood level.

Davenport and Dr. Contreras said county staff continue to refine projections and have asked advocacy partners to provide updated proposals; Davenport said the county will continue monthly and ad hoc briefings as new federal and state information arrives. The board did not take final action on the matter; the item was received for the record, and staff said further analysis will be provided in advance of budget decisions.

Why it matters: SNAP/CalFresh is a central safety‑net program for low‑income households and seniors. A sustained federal reduction of the magnitude described by county staff would increase local costs, reduce services or both, and could affect how other state and county programs interact with nutrition assistance for the same households.

What’s next: County staff said they will return with more refined financial scenarios and proposed county mitigation steps as the budget process continues; the CEO’s office said staff will provide follow-ups to supervisors and accept stakeholder proposals for how to reduce costs without abruptly cutting benefits.