Los Angeles, CA–Could you use an extra $1,000 a month? L.A County’s Guaranteed Income Program is launching and applications open March 31, 2022. 1,000 people will be selected by a research team from the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research, to receive $1,000 monthly. Los Angeles County population is currently over 10,000,000 people.
The Breathe Easy program will provide $36 million in direct payments to participants over the three-year duration. For details on eligibility, visit breathe.lacounty.gov
Andrew Yang was the first to popularize the idea of $1,000/month, $12,000 a year supplemental income for families during his 2020 campaign for presidency, which he dubbed the “Freedom Dividend.”
The Freedom Dividend would go to every adult over the age of 18.
On a local level, guaranteed income pilot programs have also been launched in Compton, under the leadership of then Mayor Aja Brown. These programs are also becoming a growing trends in various states throughout the U.S.
Read More: Compton Mayor Aja Brown on Not Seeking Third Term, Time in Office & Endorsements
In 2021, The Compton Pledge distributed the first round of $300- $600 monthly supplemental payments to low income Compton residents. The program has been funded by private donors and residents are not required to report or comply with any standards to stay enrolled in the program.
Nika Soon-Shiong, Compton Pledge co-director, is the daughter of billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the L.A Times.
Los Angeles “Breath Easy” program is an independent research program, “that will be used to study the affects of this type of program so that the County and other jurisdictions can learn about the project’s impact on the economic stability of participants, as well as its impact on participants’ overall health and well-being.”
Read More: Groundbreaking Guaranteed Income Program to Provide LA County Residents Financial Room to “Breathe
To be eligible:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Live in a Los Angeles County neighborhood that falls at or below 100% of the County’s Area Median Household Income (AMI) (see Eligiblity Map)
- Have a household income that falls at or below 100% of the County’s AMI, for a single person household, or have a household income that falls at or below 120% of the County’s AMI for households with two or more persons (see Income Eligibility Table)
- Have been negatively financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Not be currently enrolled in another Guaranteed Income project offered by the County, a city, or other public or private entity
“The program was initiated on May 18, 2021, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisors Mitchell and Kuehl to declare that poverty and economic opportunity is a matter of public health and to direct the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office to establish a countywide Guaranteed Income program,” (PRNewswire).
