FACT 36 (10/1/09 Cost of Living Adjustments)
Food Assistance Change Transmittal No. 36
September 2, 2009
TO: FOOD ASSISTANCE CERTIFICATION HANDBOOK HOLDERS
FROM: Douglas E. Lumpkin, Director
SUBJECT: October 1, 2009 Cost-of-Living Adjustments

EFFECTIVE October 1, 2009

Previous Policy: Each year the United States Department of Agriculture - Food and Nutrition Service issues the cost-of-living adjustments for the food assistance income eligibility standards and deductions. Previously these adjustments were issued by Ohio Administrative Code rule; however, the rules are being revised and the adjustments will be issued annually through a Food Assistance Change Transmittal.

New policy: The cost-of-living adjustments for the four utility allowances, the adjusted gross and net monthly income eligibility standards, the standard deduction, and the excess shelter expense deduction are effective on October 1, 2009 for all assistance groups. The maximum and minimum allotments and homeless shelter deduction will not change. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 raised the maximum allotments by 13.6 percent in April 2009.

Effective October 1, 2009 the following changes are applicable:

Utility Allowances

TypeDeduction AmountDescription
Standard Utility Allowance $588deduction for the households that incur heating and/or cooling costs.
Limited Utility Allowance $352deduction for the households that incur two or more utility expenses, none of which is a heating or cooling expense, but may include a telephone expense.
Single Telephone Allowance $36deduction for households that only incur a telephone expense.
Single Standard Utility Allowance $79deduction for households that incur one utility expense that is not a heating, cooling or telephone expense.

Standard Deduction

AG SizeDeduction Amount
1 - 3$141
4153
5179
6 or more persons205

Maximum Shelter Costs

$459

Net Income Standards (100% of poverty)

AG SizeMaximum Income
1$903
21215
31526
41838
52150
62461
72773
83085
each additional+312

Gross Income Standards (130% of poverty)

AG SizeMaximum Income
1$1174
21579
31984
42389
52794
63200
73605
84010
each additional+406

Separate AG Income Standards -- Elderly and Disabled AGs Only (165% of poverty)

AG SizeMaximum Income
1$1490
22004
32518
43032
53547
64061
74575
85089
each additional+515

Implementation: The cost-of-living adjustments for the utility allowances and the eligibility standards will be implemented via a mass change on Labor Day weekend. Alerts will be generated for all cases in pending status which CRIS-E cannot update automatically. The eligibility worker will be required to run ED/BC for those cases to implement these changes. Each assistance group affected by this change will also receive a notice providing their new benefit amount and their right to a fair hearing.