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Douglas County proposes 3‑month limit for able‑bodied general assistance, raises shelter cap to $850
Summary
Douglas County Health and Human Services staff proposed tightening General Assistance eligibility by limiting able‑bodied recipients to three months of aid annually and increasing the shelter cap from $800 to $850; staff said budget limits and rising rent costs motivated the changes and a public hearing is set for Dec. 2.
Douglas County officials laid out proposed changes to the county’s General Assistance guidelines on Thursday, recommending a three‑month annual time limit for applicants deemed medically able to work and a modest increase in monthly shelter assistance to $850.
Melissa Sewick, director of Douglas County General Assistance, told the Health and Human Services Committee the review is state‑mandated and intended to align benefits with program intent and fiscal reality. “Every two years, the Douglas County Department of General Assistance has a biannual guideline review,” Sewick said, and added that the department will hold a public hearing on Dec. 2 to collect feedback before returning a final draft to the board.
Sewick said the department currently caps shelter assistance at $800 per month and is proposing a 6.25% increase to $850 to better approach fair‑market rents while recognizing budget constraints. “The fair market rent for an efficiency unit in Douglas County is $990,” she said, but added the county’s budget does not allow matching that level.
The proposal would distinguish between applicants who are…
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