California’s aid to low-income seniors and people with disabilities cannot compete with the high cost of housing. The Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) grants help over 1 million low-income older adults and people with disabilities pay for housing and other necessities. However, the current individual grant of $1,183 is less than the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a studio apartment in 25 counties.
Cuts during the Great Recession still impact the SSI/SSP program today. During this period, the state repealed the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the SSP grant. Had the COLA been protected, the SSP grant would be almost double what it is today.
Boosting the SSI/SSP grant levels is essential to helping low-income Californians make ends meet. Along with protecting recent improvements, state leaders can take further action by increasing the maximum grant for individuals and restoring the annual state COLA.
