7 CFR § 273.1(a)

Everyone who lives together is a household.

Living together means sharing a home where individuals usually sleep and share any common living spaces such as kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or living room. Individuals who share only an access area such as an entrance or hallway or non-living areas such as a laundry room or garage are not considered living together.

Evaluate everyone living together to determine who must be included in the SNAP eligibility determination group (EDG).

Temporary Absence

7 CFR § 273.1(c)

An individual who is temporarily absent from the household is considered living with the household.  An individual’s absence is temporary if all the following are true:

• the individual’s location is known,
• the individual lived with the household before the absence (consider newborns to have lived with the household),
• there is a definite plan for return, and
• the absence lasted or is expected to last 30 days or less.