A unit receives roomer/boarder income when someone living in their home pays them for lodging and/or meals, or eats with the unit and pays them for meals. Units with roomer/boarder income are considered self-employed. For the definition of BOARDER, see 0002.07 (Glossary: Benefit…). For the definition of ROOMER, see 0002.57 (Glossary: Relative…). For MAXIS instructions, see TEMP Manual TE02.10.49 (Room and Board Income (RBIC)).

Roomer/boarder income is different from rental property. For information on rental property income, see 0017.15.33.30 (Self-Employment Income From Rental Property).

For information on budgeting Self-Employment Income, see 0017.15.33.03 (Self-Employment, Convert Inc. To Monthly Amt).

MFIP, DWP, GA, GRH:
For clients that choose the income tax forms method, count the income as earned income and allow expenses for providing the room and/or meals. Expenses for roomer/boarder income cannot exceed the gross roomer/boarder income the unit earns.


SNAP:
If the client owns a home and is renting all or a portion of the home to someone else, this is considered Rental Income. The client may or may not also be residing in the same home. See 0017.15.33.30 (Self-Employment Income From Rental Property). If the client rents a home from someone else, lives at the same home, and also rents rooms or a portion of the home out to someone else, this is considered self-employment from a roomer or a boarder.

Below is more information on how to count income and expenses for clients who have a roomer or a boarder in their home. These units do not have the choice of using the 50% of gross income or income tax forms method.

●	Roomer/Roommate: A roomer/roommate is a non-mandatory assistance unit member who rents part of a home which is rented out by the SNAP unit. The money the client collects from the roomer/roommate for their living expenses is counted as income to the SNAP unit. For MAXIS instructions, see TEMP Manual TE02.10.49 (Room and Board Income (RBIC)). If the roommate eats with the unit, they are a mandatory assistance unit member. See the Roomer and Boarder bullet below and 0014.03.06 (Determining the SNAP Unit).
●	Boarder: A boarder is a person who eats with the unit and pays for meals but does not live in the home with the unit and is not a unit member. The income the boarder pays to the SNAP unit is considered self-employment income and coded on the STAT/RBIC panel. Allow the verified expense of providing the food or the Thrifty Food Plan, whichever is greater as a deduction from the boarder income. For Thrifty Food Plan amounts or for treatment of boarders who pay less than the Thrifty Food Plan amount for food, see 0022.12.01 (How to Calculate Benefit Level - SNAP/MSA/GRH). If there is more than 1 boarder, use the total number of boarders as the unit size in determining the Thrifty Food Plan amount.
●	Roomer and boarder: A roomer and boarder is someone who lives and eats with the SNAP unit and has an agreement to pay the SNAP unit for their housing and meals. Roomer and boarders are mandatory assistance unit members since they eat with the SNAP unit.

MSA:
For non-SSI recipients, follow general provisions.

For SSI recipients, SSA determines income. No county action is required.