New CalFresh work rules take effect, threatening food benefits for hundreds of thousands

New CalFresh work and community engagement requirements took effect Monday, threatening food benefits for hundreds of thousands of people across Southern California and statewide.

This comes as 1 in 7 people across the Southland face food insecurity.

Under the new requirements, recipients of CalFresh benefits must prove that they are working, participating in training, or completing volunteer or community-service hours each month.

The rules apply to people ages 18 to 64, who do not have a disability, and who do not have a dependent child under the age of 14.

Individuals who fall under that category will be required to complete at least at least 20 hours per week, or 80 hours per month, of work, job training or volunteer activities to continue receiving benefits beyond three months in a 3-year period.

"The people who are impacted by these changes are the least able to actually meet these procedural barriers," said Carlos Marquez, executive director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California. "These so-called work requirements are intended to impose new red tape on perfectly eligible people, who are really struggling to just make ends meet and get by -- and they include families with children."

Marquez said he said the rule changes will negatively impact military veterans, former foster youth, and those facing homelessness.

Some 2.7 million people are currently enrolled in CalFresh, California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

In October, the CalFresh program will undergo another change as a portion of funding will be shifted back to the state. Historically, the program has been fully funded by the federal government.