450-2        LIVING INDEPENDENTLY (SSI Supplemental Security Income "A" LIVING ARRANGEMENT)

An individual or couple lives independently if any of the following situations apply:

1. The other person with whom the client lives is the client's spouse or alien sponsor whose income is deemed available to the client.

2. The client, the client's spouse, or the client's alien sponsor whose income is deemed available to the client, has an ownership interest in the shelter or property where the client lives.  

3. The client, the client's spouse, or the client's alien sponsor whose income is deemed available to the client, is responsible for any part of the rent for the shelter or property where the client lives.
   
   In determining whether rental liability exists, remember that landlords and tenants may not be part of the same economic household.  For the purpose of determining living arrangements, a single economic household shares common living quarters and kitchen or bathroom facilities under domestic living arrangements which create a single economic unit.  For example, an individual who rents a room, but does not purchase or prepare food with other household members is living independently.

4. The client lives in an assisted living home.

Note: While the SSI program considers an individual residing in an assisted living home to be living independently, the APA program does not, and  applies a different payment standard.  (Refer to section 450-4.)

5. The client lives in a household in which all members receive federal or state cash assistance payments (including Temporary Assistance, APA , SSI Supplemental Security Income, Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, and Veteran's Administration needs-based compensation).

6. The client pays at least a prorated share of the monthly household costs.  A prorated share is the yearly household costs divided by twelve months and then by the number of people living in the household.  Household costs include rent, food, mortgage, property taxes, fuel, gas, electricity, wood, sewage, and garbage collection charges.

Verification.  

The client is responsible for providing proof that he or she pays at least a prorated share of monthly household costs.  Bills or receipts may be used to verify actual household costs.  In the absence of such proof, the case worker may accept a signed statement from other household member(s) that indicates the monthly household costs and the amount contributed toward those costs by the APA client.