A NEW guaranteed income program is offering Americans $1,000 a month.
The applications for the program in Alameda, California, are now open.
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Called Rise up Alameda, the program will provide 150 households with $1,000 payments a month for two years.
There are no strings attached to money, and participants can use it for whatever they need.
The city council dedicated $4.6million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to run the program.
The program aims to reduce economic instability for program participants, help to change local narratives and perceptions surrounding poverty and the provision of public benefits and help to support and inform the larger discussion regarding public benefits and anti-poverty policies.
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WHO IS ELIGIBLE
To be eligible for the program, individuals and families must be living in the city of Alameda, be 18 years of age or older, and have a yearly household income at or below 50 percent of the average median income in the surrounding Alameda County.
Applications are available in seven languages, and the city is providing support for multilingual applicants at several different locations around the county, according to the program's website.
Applications close on September 18, at 9am.
Participants will be randomly selected, and payments will be made via pre-loaded debit cards.
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The city anticipates that the first payments will be disbursed by the end of the year.
SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA
Universal basic income (UBI) programs are very popular in California.
A multi-phase program in Santa Clara County was made possible by a $4million investment.
In 2020, the county launched monthly stipends for former foster youth. Now, a second group will receive $1,200 payments for two years.
The next phase will kick off in 2024, when young mothers and "justice-involved individuals" will get the same payments.
Finally, in 2025, eligible homeless high school seniors will get the cash.
Participants will also get access to services that help with financial independence, housing stability, self-sufficiency, and community building.
“With this funding, the County has allocated a total of $12million for four basic income pilot programs to help participants build stable lives," County supervisor and board President Susan Ellenberg, said in a statement.
"A guaranteed basic income plays a significant role in solidifying our county safety net and countering the myth that poverty is a moral failing of individuals versus the result of systemic failures.”
Another city is offering $750 in monthly "lifeline payments."
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Plus, there are just days left until a $3,284 payment gets sent out.
