COMAR 07.03.17.03. Household Composition

A. Household Definition. A household may be composed of any of the following individuals or groups of individuals:

(1) An individual living alone;

(2) An individual living with others, but customarily purchasing food and preparing meals for home consumption separate and apart from others;

(3) A group of individuals who live together and customarily purchase food and prepare meals together for home consumption;

(4) An individual who is 60 years old or older, and the spouse of that individual, who:

(a) Is living with others;

(b) Is unable to purchase and prepare meals because the individual suffers from a:

(i) Disability considered permanent under the Social Security Act, or

(ii) Non-disease-related, severe, permanent disability; and

(c) Resides with others whose income included under Regulation .30 of this chapter , excluding the income of the disabled individual's spouse, does not exceed 165 percent of the poverty line according to household size as shown in Schedule C of Regulation .45 of this chapter .

B. Individuals or groups of individuals may not participate as a household in the Program if they are:

(1) Residents of an institution, except as otherwise specified in Regulation .06 of this chapter ;

(2) Residents of a commercial boarding house;

(3) Living with others and paying them compensation for meals and lodging except as specified in Regulation .05 of this chapter ;

(4) Ineligible household members as described in Regulation .04 of this chapter ; or

(5) Strikers as described in Regulation .07 of this chapter .

C. Special Definition. Nonhousehold member status as described in §D of this regulation , or separate household status, may not be granted to:

(1) Parents living with their natural or adopted children, or stepchildren, or children living with these parents, if the children are 21 years old or younger;

(2) A minor child, except for a foster child, who is younger than 18 years old, under the parental control of an adult member of the household; or

as described in §D of this regulation , or separate household status, may not be granted to:

(1) Parents living with their natural or adopted children, or stepchildren, or children living with these parents, if the children are 21 years old or younger;

(2) A minor child, except for a foster child, who is younger than 18 years old, under the parental control of an adult member of the household; or

(3) A spouse of a member of the household as defined in Regulation .02B of this chapter .

D. Nonhousehold Members.

(1) Nonhousehold members who are otherwise eligible may participate in the Program as separate households.

(2) The local department may not consider the following individuals residing with a household as household members in determining the household's eligibility or allotment:

(a) A roomer who is an individual to whom a household furnishes lodging, but not meals, for financial compensation;

(b) A live-in attendant who is an individual who resides with a household to provide medical, housekeeping, child care, or other similar personal services; or

(c) Other individuals who share living quarters with the household but who do not customarily purchase food and prepare meals with the household.

Cross References 07.03.17.05A 07.03.17.40D(1)(b)