The idea of a guaranteed income was first enacted by the youngest mayor ever elected in Stockton, CA. Michael Tubbs, at age 26, was the first Black to hold the office. A graduate of Stanford University, he believed he could eradicate poverty. He instituted a guaranteed income of $500 a month for residents that met specific criteria. Since his program launched, various other cities have created similar programs. There is now even an organization Mayors for A Guaranteed income.
This year the program comes to Georgia and is implemented by the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. Nancy Flake Johnson, President and CEO, speaks with us about the program and how community members can sign up.
Our city has one of the widest wealth gaps in the country. According to AtlantaWealthBuilding.org, while 70% of Black residents are liquid asset poor, only 22% of White residents have this challenge.
Johnson shares that this program is set up to close that gap. The critical things for eligibility include:
- Live in the City of Atlanta
- Be willing to participate in research
Income up to 200% of the federal poverty level.
- Single without children make up to $25K
- Family of four making up to $53K
To sign-up for consideration in the program, go to: www.ulgacoaimpact.org.
Johnson explains that there are no requirements on how recipients spend the money. Most often, people can afford transportation resulting in better employment opportunities. Some people even secure better housing. In Georgia, a single mother will receive approximately $850.00 a month.
The Urban League of Greater Atlanta offers various other programs to our community. From Financial empowerment to first-time homeownership classes and more. I mentioned the technology job training that a friend recently completed, resulting in a Microsoft Azure Cloud certification.
For more information on offerings from the Urban League of Greater Atlanta