ºDSS-4357EL                                                                
ºWGIUPD                  GENERAL INFORMATION SYSTEM               08/10/01  
                   DIVISION:  Temporary Assistance               
ºGIS 01 TA/DC029                                                            

TO:  Commissioners; IM Directors; FS Directors; WMS Coordinators;          
     CAP Coordinators                                                     
ºFROM:  Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Temporary     
       Assistance                                                         
ºSUBJECT:  Updated-Food Stamp Standards for October 1, 2001                 

ºEFFECTIVE DATE:  October 1, 2001                                          
ºCONTACT PERSON:  FS Questions - Regional Representatives: Western Region   
                 (518)473-0332; Central Region (518)474-9344; Eastern     
                 Region (518)473-1469.  MRB/A Upstate Questions - Don    
                 Evensen (518)474-9109.  Region VI (212)383-1658.         
                 MRB/A NYC Questions - Stephen Cohen (212)383-2426 
                                                                             
	This message replace 01 GIS TA/DC029 released August 10, 2001.  That message omitted the Food Stamp income levels that will be used effective October 1, 2001.

	The USDA has notified us that the FS Maximum Excess Shelter Deduction is increasing to $354.

	As of October 1, 2001, the Food Stamp standards are as follows:

	Standard Deduction:	$134    (no change)
	Maximum Excess Shelter Deduction:	$354
	Homeless Shelter Deduction:	$143    (no change)

              Monthly Income
             Elderly/Disabled   Maximum Gross    Maximum Net
Household   Separate/Household  Monthly Income  Monthly Income   Maximum
    Size       165% of Poverty   130% of Poverty 100% of  Poverty Allotment

	1	$1,182	$  931	$	716	$	135
	2	 1,597	 1,258		968		248
	3	 2,012	 1,585	  1,220		356
	4	 2,427	 1,913	  1,471		452
	5	 2,843	 2,240	  1,723		537
	6	 3,258	 2,567	  1,975		644
	7	 3,673	 2,894	  2,226		712
	8	 4,088	 3,221	  2,478		814
Each Add'l.
Member	+  416	+  328	+   252	+	102

	Additionally, New York has re-evaluated the SUA standards and received USDA approval to adjust the FS SUA amounts for Long Island.  Effective October 1, 2001 the following SUA amounts will be used.

Standard Utility Allowances

                      Heating/Air Conditioning	Other Utility

New York City	$546 (unchanged)	$248 (unchanged)

Nassau & Suffolk County	$509	$227

Rest of State	$451 (unchanged)	$220 (unchanged)

Telephone SUA for all Counties - $33 (unchanged)

Please note that only the above standard utility allowances for Long Island have changed from the standards in effect for March 1, 2001.  The new Food Stamp tables shown above were migrated to production upstate on August 13, 2001 and are used for budgets with a "from date" of October 1, 2001 or later.  As detailed in Upstate ABEL Transmittal 01-4, Action #1 "Explanation of the FS Maximum Allotment Increase MRB/A (ALL)", the final phases of a Mass Rebudget / Authorization for this change are being run for upstate districts on the weekends of August 18th & 25th, 2001.

In New York City, the new amounts will be migrated to production on September 24, 2001 and will be used in a MRB/A for active cases on the weekend of September 22-23, 2001.

No INF or ADM will be issued regarding this change.  (A copy of the mass notice sent to upstate recipients is attached.)  If the notice does not print properly and a hard copy is needed, please contact your regional team and a hard copy will be faxed to you.