Los Angeles has just launched a guaranteed income program that will select 1,000 residents to earn $1,000 over three years.
On Thursday dozens of residents lined up in South Los Angeles to apply for the ‘Breathe: LA County’s Guaranteed Income Program’- California’s latest Universal Basic Income program.
The no strings-attached program will provide $1,000 to 1,000 Los Angeles residents every month for three calendar years through a debit card provided by the County.
In order to qualify for the program L.A residents must be at least 18-years-old, have a household income below $56,000 for a single person or $96,000 for a family of four, and have been financially affected by the pandemic.
Applicants must also live in a neighborhood where the median household income is not higher than the county’s.
Dozens of residents lined up in South L.A to apply for the ‘Breathe: LA County’s Guaranteed Income Program’- the state’s latest Universal Basic Income program
The program will provide $1,000 to 1,000 Los Angeles residents every month for three calendar years through a debit card provided by the County
To qualify for the program applicants must live in a neighborhood where the median household income is not higher than the county’s
Application for the program, which launched on Thursday, will be open until April 13.
This is the latest such program in California, last year LA county launched BIG:LEAP, will provided $1,000 in cash to 3,200 households and Compton and Long Beach also launched similar programs over the last year.
At the time, Mayor Eric Garcetti called it ‘the largest guaranteed basic income program anywhere in the United States of America.’
A version of the UBI program, which was popularized by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, has gained more attention after the pandemic idled millions of workers.
Cities across the country are trying out pilot guaranteed income programs as researchers hope the results give them a fuller picture of what happens when a range of people are sent payments that guarantee a basic living.
Last October Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced the launch of a $31 million universal basic income pilot that would give $500 a month to low income families.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell (pictured) said the program is an attempt to figure out how to reduce systemic poverty by providing people with a minimal income
To qualify residents must be at least 18, have a household income below $56,000 for a single person or $96,000 for a family of four
In New York City, a pilot program giving payments of $1,250 to as many as 40 homeless people between 18 and 24 for two years – with no strings attached, was announced during the summer.
Recipients can request how they want their money, such as in incremental payments or upfront as cash, and have no limits as to how they could spend it.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell, who formally opened the application period at Thursday’s launch event told CBS Los Angeles the program is an attempt to figure out how to reduce systemic poverty by providing people with a minimal income to take care of their families.
‘We all know what we have experienced these last two years, a dual pandemic, both public health and economic, and quite frankly, it has hit communities the hardest who were already suffering and having challenges making ends meet month to month,’ Mitchell said.
Mitchell said funding for the program comes from the government and a number of foundations and it will be overseen by the L.A. County Poverty Alleviation Initiative and a research team from the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research who will study what long-term impacts the additional income has on residents’ economic wellbeing.
Since 2019, around 40 mayors have either started to consider or successfully launched guaranteed income programs.
But critics warn of a possible downside, people relying on fixed income can become discouraged of joining the workforce.
In October, the National Federation of Independent Business reported more than half of small businesses are having trouble filling up jobs.
