Impacts of a $1,000 GI in Alameda Show Variation in Benefits For Younger, Older Adults

• In Event: How Timing, Dosage and Place Influence Guaranteed Income Programs

Abstract

The City of Alameda, California, developed a guaranteed income pilot program, Rise Up Alameda, that provides $1,000 per month for 24-months to 150 low-income Alameda residents, with the primary goal of reducing economic instability for program participants. This report presents the findings 12 months since program start. Among the cities that have piloted guaranteed income projects, the City of Alameda’s project stands out for its generosity—nearly twice the size of the average income stipend tested in most other cities, offered over two years.  The City of Baltimore has also tested a $1000 stipend, but targeted their guaranteed income pilot to young parents age 18-24. By contrast, the findings from the City of Alameda are newly informative about the impacts of a generous stipend on a more representative sample of adults.  At the time of application in September 2023, the average age of Rise Up participants was 49 years old. Sixty-six percent of participants are female, 23 percent Black, 20 percent White, 29 percent Asian, and 17 percent Hispanic. At the beginning of the project, just under half of participants were engaged in paid or unpaid work and the majority, 64 percent, reported using public benefits including SNAP, TANF, or housing assistance. One year into Rise Up Alameda, the impacts of the stipend have been to improve 30 percent of all health outcomes measured, 33 percent of all financial wellbeing outcomes measured, and 18 percent of all income and work outcomes measured. The percentage of outcomes for which there are statistically significant impacts after 12 months is very high in comparison to other cities’ guaranteed income projects. On average, Alameda participants receiving a stipend used their increased income from Rise Up to pursue better or more meaningful employment. On average, they also increased savings rates and felt better able to handle unexpected expenses. Also, they reported lower average perceived stress and psychological distress while feeling more hopeful and having a higher sense of interpersonal mattering. Some impacts differ by age category. For those age 62 and older, participants were able to more than triple their average number of doctor visits; they also experienced a larger impact on the adult mattering scale than those ages 25 to 50 and were more likely to report a sense of belonging in their neighborhood. For those age 25 to 50, participants experienced a significant reduction in perceived stress, were less likely to have utilities debt, were more likely to have a mortgage, and were more likely to move from full time employment to being self-employed or a business owner. 

 

Author

• Judy Geyer, Abt Global
  Presenting Author