Thanks to a new guaranteed income program, some residents in CA will be able to receive monthly payments for more than a year. Applications for the program will be open on Friday, February 25. As of right now, the only city participating is West Hollywood, CA.
There are only 25 spots available for the guaranteed income program, and they’ll be chosen at random. People chosen will get $1,000 monthly payments for over a year. They’ll be getting a grand total of $17,000 over 17 months.
Determining Eligibility for CA’s Guaranteed Income Program
As we said above, this program is only operating in West Hollywood at this time. Thus, anyone accepted into the program must live in the city. The program is open to all residents in the city, no matter their citizenship status. Applicants must also be at least 50 years old.
The annual household income for applicants must be equal to or less than very low income (50% area median income) for the area. That includes Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Glendale, per the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
For a household of one, that means they must make $41,400 or less per year. That goes up to $47,300 for a household of two. Households of three can make up to $53,200 per year. Households of four can make up to $59,100 per year. Lastly, households of five can make up to $63,580 per year.
Those aren’t the only program criteria, though. On top of meeting age, location, and income requirements, you must identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA).
The sponsor for this guaranteed income program is the West Hollywood Pilot for Guaranteed Income (WHPGI). The WHPGI wants to make sure that older people who identify will have access to stable housing and income. Thus, they’ll have an improved quality of life. According to WHPGI, 43% of residents in West Hollywood identify as being LGBT. On top of that, 44% of residents living in poverty are aged 55 and up.
Payment Timeline and Details
The application period for the guaranteed income program opens at the end of this month. It will close on Sunday, March 6. The 25 people selected for the program will be notified between March 14 and March 31. During this time, people chosen will be able to enroll in the program. They’ll also get one-on-one training.
According to The Sun, the first monthly payment will happen about a month after that, on April 15. Those chosen for the program will get a debit card linked to a bank account. The monthly payments will be deposited into the account. Thus, applicants do not need to have an existing bank account to apply or get the money.
