IM-24 February 15, 2017, IM-11 March 18, 2014, IM-39 May 15, 2007
Roomers are individuals to whom an EU furnishes lodging, but not meals for compensation.
A boarder is defined as an individual residing in the residence and paying reasonable compensation to the EU for lodging and meals. Boarders are ineligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program independent of the EU providing the board. Boarders may participate as members of the EU providing the boarder services, at such EU’s request. If an applicant EU identifies any individual in the residence as a boarder, the following provisions apply.
- Do not apply boarder status to:
- a spouse
- children under 18 years of age under the parental control of an EU member (NOTE: Foster Care children are exempt from this provision)
- biological/adoptive or step parent(s) living with their children who are under age 22
EXAMPLE: Mom and Dad are unmarried and have child(ren) in common; all must be included as one eligibility unit.
- persons paying less than a reasonable monthly payment for meals
- Consider an individual who is furnished both meals and lodging by the EU, but pays compensation of less than a reasonable amount, as a member of the EU. When the boarder’s payments for room are distinguishable from the payments for meals, evaluate only the amount paid for meals to determine if reasonable compensation is being paid for meals. The reasonable monthly payments must be paid in cash. In no event are FS benefits paid for meals and credited toward monthly payments. A reasonable monthly payment is either of the following:
- Boarders whose board arrangement is for more than two meals per day, pay an amount that equals or exceeds the value of the coupon allotment for the appropriate size of the boarder EU; or
- Boarders whose board arrangement is for two meals or less per day, pay an amount that equals or exceeds two-thirds of the value of the coupon allotment for the appropriate size of the boarder EU.
- Consider an individual who is furnished both meals and lodging by the EU, but pays compensation of less than a reasonable amount, as a member of the EU. When the boarder’s payments for room are distinguishable from the payments for meals, evaluate only the amount paid for meals to determine if reasonable compensation is being paid for meals. The reasonable monthly payments must be paid in cash. In no event are FS benefits paid for meals and credited toward monthly payments. A reasonable monthly payment is either of the following:
- If the EU elects not to include the boarder as an EU member, do not consider the income and resources of the boarder available to the EU. However, consider the payment amount that the boarder contributes to the EU for lodging and meals as income to the applicant EU (see 1115.065.00 Income From Boarders).