To provide low-income families with monthly cash stipends, Prince George’s County has adopted legislation to establish a Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program.
The law, which is a “no strings attached” scheme based on one in Stockton, California, was approved by the council on Tuesday, Fox News reported.
The proposal would provide low-income families with immediate financial help to cover their essential expenses like food and utility bills, with no conditions or payback obligations.
During 24 months, residents chosen to take part in the initiative will receive monthly cash stipends to secure the financial stability of families, reduce debt, and boost equity.
Prince George’s County adoption of the Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program offers low-income families monthly cash stipends. This is a representation photo of a person counting dollar banknotes. (Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash)
Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot: Prince George’s County To Provide Monthly Cash Stipends
By providing participants with a monthly stipend, the pilot program, which is based on a California-based effort, aims to assist citizens who are “intractably locked” in a cycle of generational poverty and narrow the racial wealth gap. According to the US Census, 11.5 percent of people in the county with a majority of Black people are poor.
DCISt said Prince George’s County has joined a growing number of communities testing out guaranteed income, which, unlike other types of financial government help, has no restrictions on how it may be used.
While the precise specifics, such as the amount of each monthly payment, will be worked out by a work group, the Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program is anticipated to last for 24 months.
Councilmember Krystal Oriadha said they’d range from $500 to $800 per month for 200 households at committee sessions previous to the resolution’s passage.
Prince George’s County has now joined its neighbors Montgomery County and D.C., both of which have recently experimented with similar initiatives.
In its first year of operation in 2022, Montgomery County’s guaranteed income pilot program distributed $800 per month to 300 persons or families, of whom one-third were transitioning from homelessness.
Alexandria has established a program for a guaranteed minimum income, providing 150 households with $500 debit cards each month.
READ ALSO: Citizens Of Sacramento, Qualified For A $500 Basic Income Program: Here’s How
Other States With The Program
Meanwhile, The US Sun noted that Americans only have a few days left to apply for two $500 direct payments every month.
In an attempt to assist the most disadvantaged citizens who must contend with high costs and unstable economic conditions, a number of governments and towns have implemented their own Guaranteed Basic Income plan.
To help the inhabitants of El Monte who were most negatively hit by the Covid-19 outbreak, the city developed a guaranteed basic income program. In accordance with the scheme, 125 homes will be chosen at random using a lottery mechanism to receive $500 over the course of a year. Those who meet the requirements may apply either online or in person at El Monte City Hall West.
A comparable service is being provided to the majority of the citizens of another community in need in California. United Way California Capital Area, a nonprofit organization, is funding the trial with $500 monthly installments.
The $750,000 provided by the American Rescue Plan Act might be used to assist the initiative, according to Mayor Darrell Steinberg. The program’s original goal was to provide $300 per month in assistance to 100 Sacramento homes.
But since the first phase is scheduled to finish in May 2023, a fresh group of 80 families is urged to submit an application by April 14 to avail the Guaranteed Basic Income. For a year, participants in the next round will receive monthly installments of $500.
READ ALSO: Universal Basic Income In Michigan: Will It Fix An American’s Poverty Issue?
