GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAM: California’s Long Beach Pledge Expands: $500 Monthly for 200 Residents – Know Eligibility
According to The SUN USA, Families with young children in Pomona, California, will soon start receiving $500 stipends that they can use as they see fit. These payments mark the beginning of a new guaranteed income initiative known as the Household Universal Grants Pilot Program, or Pomona HUG. The first round of payments is being issued today via debit cards.
The program aims to provide financial assistance to hundreds of low-income families through monthly payments. A total of 600 applicants were randomly selected for the program through a lottery system and were divided into two groups.
Two hundred and fifty parents were chosen to receive $500 monthly payments for 18 months as part of the paid group. The remaining 350 participants were placed in a control group, where they will receive $20 payments for the same duration.
Both groups have the opportunity to participate in surveys conducted by UCLA about the program, earning $50 bonuses for each survey completed. Additionally, some participants were offered resources and support, including benefits counseling.
To be eligible for the Pomona HUG program, participants had to meet several criteria:
- Be a resident of Pomona
- Be 18 years or older
- Be a parent or legal guardian of a child aged four or younger
- Meet at least one of the four ARPA qualifiers listed on the program’s website
Selected participants were notified on August 12 and informed of their group assignment. The first payments were distributed on August 26 via reloadable debit cards provided by MoCaFi. To activate their cards, participants need to download the MoCaFi app and follow the sign-up instructions.
An additional lottery will take place on August 27, selecting 150 participants from each group to receive support services from Los Angeles County. These services include financial, parenting, and career counseling.
In another part of California, a similar guaranteed income program in Long Beach is offering $500 monthly payments to eligible residents. The Long Beach Pledge Guaranteed Income Pilot was initially launched in 2022 as part of the Long Beach Recovery Act, which was designed to fund economic and public health initiatives for those affected by the pandemic.
The Long Beach Recovery Act allocated $51 million in funding, with $2 million reserved for the original Guaranteed Income Program. The program was expanded in January this year with an additional $1.2 million in funding.
Two hundred applicants will be selected to receive $500 monthly payments for one year, with eligibility criteria including:
- Residing in specific zip codes: 90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, or 90810
- Having a household with children or dependents under 18
- Having an income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level
Although applications for the program are currently closed, residents should keep an eye out for future opportunities to apply.
Additionally, other guaranteed income programs across the country are offering similar financial assistance, with some providing up to $1,000 in monthly payments.
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