Resources are considered inaccessible to persons residing in shelters for battered women and children if:

1.The resources are jointly owned by the residents and any members of their former household; and

2.The resident's access to the value of the resources is dependent upon the agreement of a joint owner who still resides in the former household.

Verify that resources of shelter residents are inaccessible only when questionable. In no instance will verification be reauested if such verification will jeoDardize the safetv of the resident.

Acceptable verification includes:

a.Bank statements, pass books or correspondence indicating that an account is jointly owned;

b.Car payment books or loan agreements indicating that vehicles are jointly owned;

c.Payment books, loan agreements or correspondence indicating that property is jointly owned; or

d.Collateral contacts only if:

1.The resident has designated the collateral; and

2.Contact with the collateral will not jeoDardize the safetv of the resident.

Document why the resources of the resident are inaccessible. If inaccessibility is questionable, documentation must include:

a.Why the inaccessibility is questionable; and

b.How the questionable information was resolved. Due to the resident's special circumstances, questionable resources will be resolved through available sources. The co-owner of the resources must not be contacted.