Often when talking about how to solve the affordable housing problem, inevitably someone will say, "it's not a housing problem, it's an income problem." Well it's both -- and both are urgent needs that need to be solved. This week research out of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research shared some key findings from the guaranteed income program in Los Angeles that are pretty spectacular. We share these findings because they offer a complimentary strategy to helping lift families and individuals out of deep poverty. Here are the key findings from the Los Angeles study (the largest study to date) and here is a link to all of the Center for Guaranteed Income's Research:
- Financial Well-Being: The treatment group (individuals who received guaranteed income of $1,000 a month) demonstrated a significantly increased ability to cover a $400 emergency compared to the control group (did not receive any Guaranteed Income) 6 months into BIG:LEAP (Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot)
- Food Security: The treatment group demonstrated a significant decrease in food insecurity and an increase in health-promoting behaviors. After 6 months, nearly 57% of the control group reported an inability to eat preferred foods, compared to about 43% of the treatment group.
- Safety and Decision-Making: The treatment group reported reduced severity and frequency of intimate partner violence over the duration of BIG:LEAP. Narrative data captured how recipients used guaranteed income to prevent and exit intimage partner violence and homelessness. Recipients moved from establishing immediate safety in the first six months, to establishing proximate safety in months 6-9 and then establishing future safety in months, demonstrating active planning throughout the full course of the tight 12-month time frame.
- Parenting: Treatment group parents were significantly more likely than control group parents to maintain their childrens’ extracurricular activities like sports and after-school lessons across the duration of the pilot.
- Community: Treatment group members were significantly more likely to report reduced fear of neighborhood violence and more positive interactions with neighbors across the duration of the pilot.
- Employment: Guaranteed income recipients were significantly more likely to secure full-time employment than to remain unemployed not looking for work, compared to control participants across the duration of the pilot.
