Los Angeles Launches Guaranteed Income Program: How to Apply

The Los Angeles County Breath Guaranteed Income Program will give 1000 randomly selected residents $1000 a month for three years, reports FOXLA.

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The program starts March 31st. To qualify, people must be at least 18 years of age, have a family income of less than $56 per person or $000 for a family of four, and be negatively impacted by the COVID-96 pandemic. Members will receive the money via a debit card and there are no obligations or conditions for income.

“The financial uncertainty and varying degrees of poverty that millions of our voters face every day cannot be addressed with a one-size-fits-all approach. We now have the opportunity to invest in support that reaches our residents directly,” said County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell in Los Angeles.

“Our residents know how to best meet their needs when they have the resources to do so. Across the country, income security has already been proven to reduce poverty and improve the long-term well-being of families. We can give residents living on the edge of financial collapse support to help them breathe a little easier,” she said.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal submitted by Mitchell and Supervisor Sheila Kuehl to create the program on May 18, 2021. In this proposal, poverty and economic opportunity are declared a public health issue.

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“The course of this pandemic has exposed a large number of county residents who are living on the brink of a financial crisis without enough savings to survive a job loss, get emergency medical care, or get a car overhauled,” Kühl said.

“This income guarantee program will give residents the breathing space they need to better weather these crises. Income Guarantee projects around the country show that financial support, combined with the freedom to make their own decisions about how best to spend their money, offers families the choice they need to establish stability and invest in a better future for themselves.” she added.

County's Poverty Alleviation Initiative Los Angeles County will oversee the program, and a research team from the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Income Guaranteed Research will randomly select eligible candidates. The team will, among other things, examine the long-term impact of income on the economic well-being of residents.

“There is still a lot we don’t know about the power of unconditional money and its long-term impact on society. The three-year pilot gives families the opportunity to set bigger goals than we've seen in other experiments, and it also gives policymakers a chance to learn how unconditional cash performs alongside other programs over time,” said Dr. Amy Beth Castro of the Center for Research guaranteed income from the University of Pennsylvania.

The pilot program is based on a similar program in Stockton, California, which has been praised for its success. Last year, the City of Los Angeles also launched a guaranteed basic income program called BIG:LEAP.

“In just 12 months of the Stockton program, we have seen a reduction in anxiety and depression in people. And we can't wait to see how families can take advantage of the much longer support period,” Castro said.

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Residents interested in the program can apply and find more information on at: lacounty.gov, including a map to help determine if they live in the relevant community. The registration period opens on March 31st. Applications are accepted until April 13th. The selection will not depend on the deadlines for submission of applications.

The eligibility requirements and application form can be found at website of the main executive office County of Los Angeles.

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