General assistance is public aid of last resort.
It is a welfare benefit required by State law, and must be established and paid out of County funds. General assistance provides limited and temporary relief for poor and needy residents of a county who do not qualify for any other cash assistance. The levels and amounts of general assistance vary from county to county in California. In Yolo County, only a few hundred people require general assistance at any given time, but for those folks, it's critically important. The amount of assistance which is provided is low, but it is of some help to people with no other means.