Starting this March, Californians can apply for a chance to receive $800 monthly direct payments for 18 months, as part of a pilot Universal Basic Income (UBI) program.
Californians are about to receive direct payments for 18 months. (Photo: Technext)
Direct Payments
30 individuals will be selected to receive the direct payments from a $500,000 pot. The program is a collaboration between Coachella Valley non-profits Queer Works and DAP Health, and eligibility is based on specific guidelines.
The application window will close on March 25th, and all chosen recipients will be notified on March 30th. The first direct payment will begin on May 15th and will continue for 18 months, according to a published article in The U.S. Sun.
To be eligible for the UBI program, applicants must be clients of DAP Health or Queer Works or be enrolled with one of them by March 14th. They must also live and work at least part-time in Palm Springs, or spend most of the day in the area, and their income must be no more than 30 percent of the median of Riverside County. Interested applicants can sign up for enrollment alerts by filling out a form online.
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Permanent Fund Dividend
In addition, Californians can also apply for the 2023 Permanent Fund Dividend. The application season began on January 1st and will go through March 31st. Adults and children must apply separately, and a family of two parents and three children must submit five applications.
In a published article in the Original Newsbreak, the 2023 PFD amount has not been finalized yet, but the 2022 PFD was $3,284. Residents can submit their applications online or obtain a paper application from Distribution Centers statewide.
While UBI programs and dividend payments can offer financial relief to eligible individuals, they do not provide a long-term solution to poverty and income inequality. Proponents argue that UBI programs can alleviate poverty and stimulate local economies, while opponents argue that they may discourage work and lead to inflation.
As more UBI programs and dividend payments are implemented across the US, it remains to be seen how effective they are in addressing economic inequality and providing financial stability to Americans.
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