“The federal Food Stamps Act has determined that having access to food is critical,” said Lauren Hansen, an attorney for the plaintiffs, in a phone interview. “These deadlines are not up for any debate.”

According to data released by California’s Department of Social Services, between August, 2014, and July, 2015, the county processed 16.5 percent of all approved applications and 25 percent of all denied applications after their 30-day window had elapsed. In July 2015, Lilley claims, 13 percent of all expedited applications were delayed as well.

The county’s backlog of CalFresh applications hit 10,657 in July 2015, the last month in which county data submitted to California’s Department of Social Services (CDSS) was publicly available at the time that Lilley was filed. According to data released by the CDSS in September, Alameda is the worst county in the state at processing food stamps applications within the time period required by law.

Read the full article by Teresa Cotsirilos in the Oakland North here.