This article first appeared in inewsource. Sign up for their newsletters here.
Starting Nov. 1, people using the food assistance program CalFresh, known as SNAP nationally, will have three months to find work before they are kicked off the program.
The new work requirements are part of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A memo published Oct. 3 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture notified states of the new, earlier deadline to implement the changes.
California had expected regulations to take effect in January because it had an existing waiver exempting all “able-bodied” adults without dependents from the work requirements. The state got the waiver by showing it didn’t have enough jobs. USDA abruptly canceled California’s waiver, along with six other states and territories with full waivers and 25 states with partial waivers.
San Diego County officials estimate that 96,000 people in the region will be subject to the new work requirements.
Before the new legislation, adults without disabilities between the ages of 18 and 54 could receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for three months in a three-year period without showing they are gainfully employed for at least 80 hours per month. Certain government-approved volunteer work can also qualify, but caregiving to children or older adults does not.
The new exemption now applies only to adults starting at age 65 and for parents with children younger than 14. It also removes exemptions put in place during the Biden administration for veterans, people experiencing homelessness and former foster youth under age 24.
“This new guidance effectively ends food assistance for thousands of San Diegans overnight,” said Alondra Alvarado, president and CEO of the San Diego Hunger Coalition. “We’re already hearing confusion and fear from community partners, and we expect food banks and meal programs to be overwhelmed as people lose benefits far sooner than expected. This policy punishes people for being poor — not for failing to work.”
Long-term impacts to state, county budgets
The unexpected news could have staggering consequences for state and county budgets. Before the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the federal government paid for all of the food distributed through SNAP. Starting in 2027, states will be responsible for part of that cost.
The amount will depend on the percentage of program benefits over- or underpaid to recipients this and next year. The new USDA memo makes California responsible for correctly paying out benefits starting Nov. 1, and any mistakes will be penalized by making states pay an increased share of the cost of SNAP benefits.
California was already in the top bracket for error penalties, which will cost the state about $2 billion if they are unable to reduce it. Now, the state has a shorter timeline to set up a way to correctly administer the program under the new rules and get the penalty cost down.
Counties are also bracing for the challenge of actually administering the program, which they have to pay for themselves. San Diego County estimates it needs to hire 426 staff just to administer CalFresh.
“H.R. 1’s changes to CalFresh will create an administrative burden, divert resources from other programs, and — most importantly — leave families hungry while worsening health outcomes,” California Association of Counties CEO Graham Knaus said. “Unless the state backfills federal cuts or relieves us of state mandates, we’ll be forced to slash core local services from public safety to parks. The state’s recent CalFresh funding is an important start.”
The association requested about $91 million from the state to address the administrative workload and got about half in a September budget package.
A San Diego County spokesperson said all SNAP recipients will be notified of benefit cancellations once the state issues guidance and referred additional questions to the California Department of Social Services. The state agency said in a statement they were assessing recent federal changes and remain committed to ensuring Californians have access to food support.
inewsource is a community-focused nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and accountability journalism. The news outlet is a 2025 Pu litzer Prize finalist.
Hence then, the article about new rules for calfresh food program mean thousands in san diego losing benefits was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( New rules for CalFresh food program mean thousands in San Diego losing benefits )
Also on site :