A year and a half after the conclusion of Los Angeles’ guaranteed basic income pilot program, several city councilmembers are advocating for its revival, citing its success in helping residents remain housed, fed, and meet other basic needs.
From January 2022 to March 2023, approximately 3,200 of the city’s poorest families received $1,000 per month for a year without any conditions. On Tuesday, July 30, during a press conference outside City Hall and a presentation to the City Council, Councilmembers Curren Price and Hugo Soto-Martínez, along with researchers and participants, shared the positive outcomes of the Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot (BIG:LEAP).
Price initially proposed the program in 2021, leading to a $38 million investment by city leaders to help families make ends meet. “It was the largest program of its kind in the nation, and so much has been at stake since then,” Price said. “I’m excited to have the results of this study so we can build on what’s been done and move forward.”
The goal of the guaranteed basic income program was to provide direct cash to some of the city’s poorest households without restrictions, allowing families to decide how to spend the money. “When we empower Angelenos to make decisions for themselves, they are in the best position to navigate financial hardships,” said Abigail Marquez, general manager of the city’s Community Investment for Families Department, which oversaw the pilot program.
Participants in the program had to meet certain criteria: having a dependent child or being pregnant, having an annual income below the federal poverty line, and being financially or health-wise impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 50,000 people applied.
A study shared with the City Council found that families who received the monthly cash assistance reported reduced financial stress, improved housing and food security, better health care, and more time for their children or enrichment activities. This, in turn, improved children’s academic performance and behavior.
The study also found that guaranteed basic income reduced the severity and frequency of domestic violence and provided options for individuals to leave dangerous home environments. The report was produced by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania, in partnership with researchers from USC and UCLA.
Ashley Davis, a South Central L.A. resident and pilot program participant, said the additional income allowed her to focus on getting therapy for her autistic son and purchase healthier foods. It also enabled her to change careers, and she is now in nursing school, set to graduate in 2026. She credits her progress to the guaranteed basic income program. “As parents, sometimes we’re afraid to ask for help,” Davis said. “I was one of those people who really needed it. So I’m thankful.”
During the council meeting, Price announced a motion to establish a new guaranteed basic income program, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Soto-Martínez and Marqueece Harris-Dawson. The motion, pending a City Council vote, would direct the Community Investment for Families Department to develop recommendations for a new program targeting those facing domestic violence or transitional age youth (young adults ages 18 to 24, many of whom are exiting the foster care system). The motion also seeks to identify potential funding of $4 million to $5 million to support the proposed program.
Soto-Martínez emphasized the pilot program’s success in aiding struggling families. “This program has shown us something extraordinary,” he said. “It has proven that when we come together as a city and prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable among us, we can create real transformative change.”
