A recent study reveals that streamlining the application process for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) led to measurable improvements in financial stability among low-income individuals in Los Angeles and San Francisco. By introducing greater flexibility in scheduling mandatory interviews with caseworkers—previously a major cause of denials—both cities saw higher enrollment and recertification rates. Missed appointments had accounted for up to half of all rejections nationwide, making this procedural change particularly impactful.
Using credit report data from the University of California Consumer Credit Panel and administrative records from SNAP, researchers analyzed outcomes for over 100,000 applicants across the two regions. In Los Angeles, where a new hotline allowed applicants to reschedule interviews more easily, successful enrollment increased. As a result, recipients were less likely to fall behind on credit card payments and carried hundreds of dollars less in annual debt compared to those denied under the older, rigid system. Average credit scores also improved.
A similar pattern emerged in San Francisco, where extended deadlines for rescheduling missed appointments during recertification boosted retention in the program. These changes translated into better financial outcomes, including reduced delinquency and lower overall indebtedness.
The findings, published as a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, suggest that reducing bureaucratic hurdles can have significant downstream economic benefits. According to authors Tatiana Homonoff of NYU Wagner and Min S. Lee and Katherine Meckel of UC San Diego, easing access to essential support programs enhances financial resilience among vulnerable populations.
With more than 22.7 million U.S. households relying on SNAP—about one in eight people, including a large share of children, seniors, and disabled individuals—the implications extend beyond individual cities. The study underscores how administrative efficiency can amplify the effectiveness of social safety nets.
— news from futurity.org
— News Original —
Making SNAP applications easier had positive economic effects
Making the application process for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program more flexible generated “tangible downstream economic consequences”—like reduced credit card delinquencies—in Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to a new study. n nThe study assesses the impact of program designs aimed at making it easier to apply or recertify for SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, and less prone to process-related denials. n nMore than 22.7 million households in the US receive SNAP benefits, or one in eight people. An estimated two-thirds are children, older adults, and the disabled. n nThe interventions in Los Angeles and San Francisco focused on giving applicants greater flexibility in scheduling their caseworker interviews, a mandatory component of the application process since missed interview appointments account for as many as half of all food stamp program denials nationwide. n nThe National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper estimates the effects of the Los Angeles and San Francisco application processes on financial health, using individual-level data derived from Californians’ credit reports (newly available in the University of California Consumer Credit Panel database) and SNAP administrative data for each of the two cities. n n“[W]e find that reducing administrative burdens leads to significant improvements in the financial well-being of individuals seeking to gain or maintain access,” wrote researcher Tatiana Homonoff of NYU Wagner along with Min S. Lee and Katherine Meckel, both of the University of California-San Diego. n nIn the case of Los Angeles, people seeking food stamps were granted more autonomy over the scheduling of their interview through access to a new caseworker hotline. As a result of this procedural intervention, applicants were more likely to enroll successfully in the SNAP program. n nThat result led to meaningful improvements in their financial well-being: food stamp recipients were less likely to end up with a delinquent credit card account, and had higher credit scores. The amount of debt they carried through the year was hundreds of dollars less than those who were denied SNAP benefits solely due to the less flexible application process that was previously in effect, according to the paper. n nThe Los Angeles data covered 2020-21 and 65,000 who applied for SNAP. n nThe researchers noticed similar effects resulting from scheduling flexibility in the SNAP recertification process in San Francisco. People seeking food stamps renewals there were more likely to recertify for the program when they had additional time to reschedule missed caseworker appointments prior to the renewal deadline. This, in turn, improved financial health. The San Francisco data covered 2014-2016 and 40,000 people. n nTaken as a whole, enhancing application and program integrity processes meant that SNAP applicants in the two counties were better able to pay their credit card balances or to carry less debt, according to the paper.