The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to allocate $2 million to a new guaranteed income pilot program intended to serve survivors of domestic violence and foster youth.
"In a unanimous vote, council members requested that the city controller transfer $1 million each from two accounts associated with Council Districts 9 and 13 for the program, known as Supporting Transitional-Aged Youth and Survivors in Achieving Financial Empowerment, or STAY SAFE," a local ABC outlet reported.
The program will provide monthly $1,000 payments for two years to survivors of intimate partner violence and transitional-aged youth who are current or former foster youth.
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The program was launched by Council Members Curren Price and Hugo Soto-Martinez, citing a study that claimed a previous Los Angeles guaranteed income program was successful.
"Results showed it helped families cover emergency expenses and reduced food insecurity, officials said. Some participants also reported that unrestricted funds helped them pay school tuition, start small businesses and cover expenses such as clothes and shoes for children," ABC 7 reported.
Three years ago, Price proposed a guaranteed income program called the Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot, or BIG:LEAP, which provided 3,200 households living below the poverty level with $1,000 in cash each month for one year.
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"Today, we are building on the success of that program with a new $2 million investment, and this next phase will continue to support survivors of intimate partner violence – the group that saw the most dramatic improvements in that pilot program," Soto-Martinez said in the ABC story.
He went on to say, "For the first [time], we're pairing these direct payments with job training through the Hospitality Training Academy, which has a near 100% success rate in placing their graduate into high-quality, good-paying union jobs."
Many people criticize guaranteed income programs because of legal issues and funding challenges.
Some critics argue that guaranteed income programs do not work.
STAY SAFE follows a broader trend of guaranteed basic income programs launching across the U.S. in recent years with more than 100 GBI pilots launched since 2018.
Original article source: Los Angeles City Council approves $2 million for guaranteed income program
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