sa国际传媒官网网页入口

Dozens of low-income families, young adults and teenagers have reported more savings in the bank and food in the pantry while relying less financially on friends and family since being given $750 monthly checks by the city of sa国际传媒官网网页入口.

City officials said at least three of the families have since become homeowners, and younger participants have been able to afford vehicles.

The Guaranteed Basic Income program 鈥� managed by the city's Office of Equity and Inclusion 鈥� has given $750 a month to a cohort of 59 families in underserved communities since April 2025. In December, the GBI was expanded to a second cohort of 42 teenagers and young adults, many previously incarcerated, living on the streets and young parents.

Most recent census data showed more than 81,000 people, or about 15%, of those living in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 are below the poverty line, 20% higher than the national rate.

During a Friday news conference at Pat Hurley Park, Mayor Tim Keller said the 鈥渘o strings attached鈥� aspect is what makes GBI more accessible than social services like food stamps and healthcare and childcare subsidies.

鈥淚nstead of telling you what you have to do with funding that we would give you, or requiring all sorts of strings to make sure that you're the right person, we're just going to say, 'Look, here's a little bit of support, you decide what to do with it, because you know best,'" he said. "It sounds so simple and that is what鈥檚 so powerful about this program.鈥�

The GBI costs around $1 million annually and, unlike similar programs sprouting up around the country, is funded with tax dollars 鈥� in this case cannabis tax revenue dollars.

City Councilors Nichole Rogers and Klarissa Pe帽a spearheaded the funding effort in March 2025 through the Cannabis Equity and Community Reinvestment resolution. On Friday, Rogers had to be repeatedly handed tissues as she grew emotional about the program's outcomes.

鈥淭his is exactly the work that government should be doing to stabilize families in our neighborhoods. Period,鈥� Rogers said, calling the program "historic."

"We're so busy working two and three jobs and trying to help with homework and run a household that we can't stop for a minute to just even breathe to dream. This is allowing families to dream again.鈥�

With a year under its belt, the city released results of a voluntary survey and how the program's cohorts said they were faring financially. It showed a video at the news conference of various family members and young people expressing how the GBI helped them get out of debt and be more financially secure.

The first cohort of the GBI is made up of 59 families who have a third grader enrolled at either Whittier or Carlos Ray elementary schools 鈥� identified as schools 鈥渇acing the city鈥檚 greatest challenges,鈥� according to Dillon Shije, director of the Office of Equity and Inclusion. 

According to the surveys, the families reported an increased savings of 26% and 42% and said they were no longer facing food insecurity, while 53% relied less on others for financial help in a emergency. Additionally, 18 families reported improved credit scores and three became homeowners since receiving the GBI.

The second cohort, made up of those between 16 and 24 years old, reported an improved financial well-being score of 61% and a 13% decrease in relying on others for financial help in an emergency. Thirty of the individuals are in high school, four are graduates and eight are dropouts, with 50% reported having food insecurity and, among the cohort, an average income of $500 per month prior to the GBI.

GBI Contract Coordinator Mag Kim, with Future Focused Education, said eight individuals saved enough to buy vehicles and several were able to prioritize graduation over employment, with two graduating early.

Baselines were not given for every metric among either cohort. 

"We're really surprised and encouraged by what we're seeing," said Rada Moss, manager of the Office of Financial Empowerment. "We didn't expect people to buy homes in the first year, and so that's encouraging for us, and we can learn from that and build upon that.鈥�

Moss said they will continue to compile the data and use it to further assess the GBI program and back up funding requests. The program was initially funded "with the goal of offering support for three years," according to a city news release.

But the first cohort families said they were told a few months ago that the $750 payments would stop in May. Rogers sounded the alarm on the situation and proposed an amendment to the city budget to fund the cohorts another year with $1.2 million.

Councilors Dan Champine, Rene虂e Grout, Dan Lewis and Brook Bassan voted against the amendment. Only Lewis answered the phone Friday.

"I mean, I don't agree with collecting taxes (from) drug money, number one. Number two, I don't agree with handing out cash with no strings attached," Lewis said, adding that he had yet to see the data himself.

Marina, who wished to be identified only by her first name when interviewed by the Journal after the news conference, said when they were told the funds would stop in May, she wondered what happened to the three-year promise. 

"So if they get to tell us, 鈥榟ey, one more year, two more years,鈥� that's just like amazing for us,鈥� she said. A mother of two, she said when she initially heard about the GBI, she assumed it wouldn't work out.

鈥淚 don't know, it's just that little thing in you that's like 鈥榠t's too fantastic to be truthful,鈥欌�� she said. But it was true and the $750, she said, has been 鈥渟uch a blessing" for her family.

鈥淜nowing that we have that money for whatever emergency 鈥� the house, the rent, the bills, whatever 鈥� it gives you rest in the night, I mean, we could sleep now, we don't overthink things," she said.

When her son Yerick needed glasses, Marina was able to buy them. When he wanted to join the baseball team, she could say yes. The 10-year-old smiled broadly behind his black-frame glasses, his mother calling him 鈥渉andsome.鈥�

Since the glasses, Marina said Yerick's grades went up and he received two certificates for reading 鈥� in Spanish and English. He plays catcher on the baseball team and, showing a knack for the game, was accepted into an all star team.

鈥淭hat has been so worth it. It just kept giving me 鈥� that happiness of a mother that you can't explain," Marina said. "To my heart, it's like such happiness that he's good at school and now he's good at sports, so 鈥� I'm on the right way.鈥�