SSI/SSP Grants Are No Match for California’s Housing Costs

The California Budget & Policy Center just released a fact sheet comparing “Fair Market Rent” (FMR) for a studio apartment in each of California’s 58 counties to individual SSI/SSP grants. They found that “In all 58 California counties, the FMR for a studio apartment exceeds 50% of the maximum SSI/SSP grant for an individual. Moreover, the studio FMR exceeds the entire grant in 22 counties.”

The state portion of SSI/SSP income – SSP – was cut drastically during the Great Recession. In 2017 our state policymakers increased the SSP grant by $4.32 per month to begin improving the situation. However, no additional state grant increases have been provided since then, and the Governor’s proposed 2020-21 state budget assumes the SSP portion will remain frozen for another year.

For many people with disabilities SSI/SSP is their only source of income. Given our state’s high housing costs many members of our community are in significant risk or homelessness.

The fact sheet details FMR by county and breaks down the percentage of monthly SSI/SSP needed to afford a studio apartment. Click here to view the fact sheet.