$4.5 Million To Be Issued To US Country Through Guaranteed Income Pilot Program

As reported by The Daily Hodl, Contra Costa County, California, is on the brink of launching a pilot program aimed at providing guaranteed income to its residents, as reported by the Richmond Confidential. This initiative is set to allocate millions of dollars to support 250 individuals, offering them monthly stipends of up to $1,000 for a duration of 18 months.

The program, which could potentially commence by the close of 2025, is designed to assist some of the county’s most vulnerable populations. Specifically, it will focus on homeless individuals, young adults transitioning out of foster care, low-income families with young children, and those recently released from incarceration.

In a decisive move, Contra Costa County’s Board of Supervisors approved the funding for this pilot program last month, paving the way for its implementation. The financial resources for this initiative will primarily come from a countywide sales tax known as Measure X, which was endorsed by voters during the 2020 general election. Additionally, funds generated from a statewide criminal justice reform legislation will serve as another crucial source of support for the program.

Currently, officials in Contra Costa County are busy finalizing the specifics of the pilot, particularly focusing on the selection criteria and application processes for participants. 

In discussing the objectives of the program, Rachel Rosekind, a member of the Measure X Community Advisory Board, articulated its transformative purpose. She stated, “The idea is to really make a transformative investment in our residents. And so to think about all the different ways to do that in terms of how long, how much, who are we investing in. We want to really uplift and change not just the lives of these residents, but the lives of their families, the fabric of their communities.” 

With this initiative, Contra Costa County aims not only to provide immediate financial relief but also to foster long-lasting improvements in the lives of its residents and the broader community.