If you live in someone else's home and you pay that person for more than half your weekly meals, you are considered to be a boarder and not eligible for SNAP/food stamp benefits as a separate household. 106 C.M.R. § 361.240 (D).
If you pay a reasonable amount for meals, the household providing the meals can choose to include you (and your income) in their SNAP/food stamp benefits, or the household can also choose to exclude you in their benefit allotment. If excluded, DTA will then count your payments (after certain deductions) as income to the host household. A "reasonable" amount is an amount equal to the benefit level for your household if you get three meals per day. 106 C.M.R. § 361.240(D).
If you do not pay a reasonable amount for meals, you must be included in the SNAP/food stamp household of the person who provides the meals and your income and assets will be counted in figuring the eligibility of the whole household. 106 C.M.R. § 361.240(D).
Example
Janet and Joe are 23 years old. They move into Janet's mother's house. Janet's mother receives SNAP/food stamp benefits. Janet's mother does all of the shopping and makes all of the meals for Janet and Joe. Janet and Joe pay $150 a month towards food and $200 towards lodging. Because $150 is less than the benefit amount for a household of 2, Janet and Joe must be part of Janet's mother's SNAP/food stamp household and their income and assets count. However, if Janet and Joe bought their food separately instead of giving Janet's mother money for food, they would not be required to be in her household.
If you are elderly or disabled and live with others who provide meals for you, see What if I am elderly or disabled and live with other people but I cannot buy and cook my own food?
If you rent a room or space in someone else's home and do not pay for meals, you are considered to be a roomer. As a roomer, you can apply for food stamps/SNAP as a separate household, so long as you purchase and prepare the majority of your meals separately from the other people in the house. 106 C.M.R. § 361.230(A). See What is a SNAP/food stamp household or assistance unit? and Can I get benefits separately from other people I live with?
Produced by Patricia Baker, Laura Gallant, Deborah Harris, Rochelle Hahn Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Last updated January 2011
