TO:	Commissioners; TA & FS Directors; WMS Coordinators; CAP Coordinators

FROM:  Rus Sykes, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Employment and Transitional Supports

SUBJECT:	Updated - Food Stamp Standards for October 1, 2006

EFFECTIVE DATE:	October 1, 2006

C CONTACT PERSON:	FS Questions – Food Stamp Bureau (518) 473-1469
	MRB/A Upstate Questions-James Dormond (518) 474-9286

As of October 1, 2006, the Food Stamp standards are as follows:

The standard deduction amounts that will be used in the annual FS mass rebudgeting for October 1, 2006:

Household Size	Standard Deduction	
1	$134 (no change)	
2	 134 (no change)	
3	 134 (no change)	
4	 139	
5	 162	
6+	 186	

	Maximum Excess Shelter Deduction:		$417
	Homeless Shelter Deduction:			$143 (unchanged)
	Boarder/Lodger Exclusion:			$155 for one or $284 for two

Household Size	Monthly Income Elderly/Disabled Separate/Household 165% of Poverty	Maximum Gross Monthly Income 130% of Poverty	Maximum Net Monthly Income 100% of Poverty	Maximum Allotment	
1	$1,348	$1,062	$  817	$155	
2	 1,815	 1,430	1,100	284	
3	 2,283	 1,799	1,384	408	
4	 2,750	 2,167	1,667	518	
5	 3,218	 2,535	1,950	615	
6	 3,685	 2,904	2,234	738	
7	 4,153	 3,272	2,517	816	
8	 4,620	 3,640	2,800	932	
Each Add'l Member	
+  468	
+  369	
+  284	
+  117	

New York State has re-evaluated the Standard Utility Allowances (SUA standards) and determined there will be no change to the amounts of the HT/AC SUA (Combined Heat/Utility/Phone SUA in NYC), Non-Heating SUA and Phone SUA:

	Geographic Area	HT/AC SUA		UTIL SUA		PHONE SUA

	NYC			$577			$256			$33
	Nassau & Suffolk	$543			$238			$33
	Rest of State		$478			$222			$33

Districts are reminded that the standard SUA amounts, without pro-ration, are mandated for all households with qualifying utility costs rather than allowing use of the actual expenses when they exceed the standards. Also, residents of public or subsidized housing with shared meters who incur only an expense for excess utility usage are entitled to the applicable level of SUA.  For example, a public housing tenant with heat included in the rent and who has a shared utility meter but pays a monthly excess fee for air conditioning is entitled to the HT/AC SUA.  Additionally, in recognition that virtually all households incur phone expenses, the phone SUA must be granted for all cases (except homeless/undomiciled) that don't already have the phone SUA budgeted either alone, as part of a higher SUA or as part of a standardized NYSNIP or Group Home benefit.

The new Food Stamp standards will be migrated to production Upstate on August 19, 2006 and will be used for budgets with a "FROM" date of October 1, 2006 or later.  As detailed in ABEL Transmittal 06-3 Action #1 "Explanation of the FS Maximum Allotment Increase MRB/A (ALL)", the Mass Rebudget/Authorization for these changes is being run for upstate districts on the weekend of August 19-20, 2006.

The standardized benefit amounts for NYSNIP (New York State Nutrition Improvement Program) and Group Home Standardized Benefits (GHSB) are not being updated as part of this Mass Rebudget for October 1, 2006.  

A copy of the mass notice sent to recipients is attached.  If the notice does not print properly and a hard copy is needed, please request a faxed copy via the contacts listed above.  Please note that the attached mass notice is also being used to update the gross monthly income standards (130% of poverty level) to those households subject to six-month reporting rules.