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County hearing details potential CalFresh changes as federal HR1 alters eligibility and admin funding
Summary
Stanislaus County staff briefed supervisors on CalFresh caseload trends and summarized HR1 changes that could cut eligibility for some noncitizens, expand able‑bodied adult work requirements and increase county administrative costs; Board accepted the update 5‑0.
Stanislaus County officials told the Board on Jan. 27 that recent federal changes (cited in the presentation as "HR1") will alter CalFresh eligibility, work‑requirement rules and administrative cost shares, and the Board accepted the informational update unanimously.
Christine Huber, director of the Community Services Agency, and Ed Cuellar, associate director for StanWorks, reported that the county'administered CalFresh program served an estimated 96,879 individuals in 2025, up from 79,363 in 2021. Cuellar summarized household allotment calculations and use of federal EBT cards, and he explained that CalFresh benefits themselves are 100% federally funded and do not appear in the county CSA operating budget.
Presenters reviewed provisions of HR1 described in the briefing. The staff presentation stated that HR1 will change the standard utility allowance policy and remove internet expenses as an allowable standard shelter deduction, will narrow automatic SUA eligibility to elderly and disabled households, and will reduce noncitizen eligibility effective April 1, 2026. Ed Cuellar said that "there are potentially 2,300, a little over 2,300 non citizens that will no longer qualify for the CalFresh program under this rule" in Stanislaus County.
Staff also explained changes to able‑bodied adults without dependents (ABOD) rules, including expansion of the age range covered, and warned that California's blanket ABOD waiver will end on June 1, 2026. On administrative costs, presenters said HR1 reduces the federal share of CalFresh administration to 25% after Oct. 1, 2026, raising the state's share and increasing the county's share of administrative funding from about 15% to roughly 22.5% of the program administration amount; staff estimated the change could raise county administrative obligations by a few million dollars.
Supervisors asked about payment error‑rate calculations and whether state penalties would be passed to counties; presenters said the state calculates error rates through quality assurance samples and that Stanislaus County's error rate has been below 5%, and that the state had asked to study Stanislaus County practices. The Board discussed outreach and workforce development goals in the context of caseload growth.
The Board moved and seconded a motion to accept the update; the motion carried 5‑0.
