It doesn’t pay to be poor anywhere, but especially not in an area such as Hawaii where the cost of living — especially the housing part — is so high.
If a rule change proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allowed to take effect, it will be harder for many households here — an estimated 3,062 households, according to the state Department of Human Services (DHS) — to qualify for “food stamps,” the benefit known more officially as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Comments on the rule proposal, which was published in the Federal Register, will close Sept. 23. They can be submitted online (808ne.ws/2lLnYn4 Opens in a new tab), where there’s also more information and a link to the rule itself.
The biggest worry among social service officials here is that some 3,000 Hawaii people are likely to lose benefits, at least initially, causing a serious disruption in the household management for many who already have thin margins in their survival budget.
That is a reasonable concern, especially as the rule change would affect this state more than most. Hawaii’s congressional delegation must raise the alarm about this and press for adjustments that include some of the allowances for Hawaii’s high costs of housing and other basic needs in calculating who qualifies for the benefit.
That said, the state must make preparations in various ways to absorb some of the impact of the rule, assuming that the USDA under the Trump administration likely will implement it as published.
This means anticipating that state aid would be needed to fill some gaps, and some private charity sources will be picking up more of the slack to help families put food on the table.
The proposal is a bit complex, but essentially it would close what USDA describes as a “loophole” that eases the qualification for SNAP. Under existing rules, people who receive even minimal benefits from a cash assistance program called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) categorically qualify for SNAP without submitting to further checks on income and assets.
In addition, there are exemptions allowed, enabling states to loosen the requirements. That is why Hawaii has been able to adjust the standard income eligibility ceiling, which is set nationally at 130% of the federal poverty level. Hawaii’s waiver allows it to extend this cutoff to 200% of the federal poverty level, or $59,240 for a family of four.
Importantly, the state DHS also now can factor in costs such as housing and child care to adjust the household income, allowing more to qualify.
Further, the change would constrain the number of children at schools who qualify for free school meals. That hinges on the percentage of households in the school district that qualify for SNAP, and if fewer do, fewer school lunches will become available.
Ideally, the proposed rule would be changed to allow for some income adjustments to be made, given the astronomical costs here.
According to a 2014 report by the advocacy and research group Hawai‘i Appleseed, “Helping Make Ends Meet,” Hawaii has been anything but a heavy drain on SNAP, ranking 49th in participation by eligible families. Adding to the cost struggle for those who do participate seems unjustifiably austere.
While this issue is under review, it would make sense to prepare for austerity now. Chances are good that the Hawaii Food Bank and other private charity food sources will be pressed for more help — especially with a possible economic slowdown looming. Now would be a good time for the public to dig a little deeper and make donations.
Life in Hawaii can be hard, but we all should do what we can to keep it from being hungry, too.
