Louisiana City Sets Up Guaranteed Income Program For Residents

A city in Louisiana is attempting a new pilot program that would pay $660 a month to residents who qualify.

The guaranteed income pilot program is being implemented by the city of Shreveport. The city said over 22,000 of their 188,000 residents applied for the program before the deadline.

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Of the 22,000 people that registered, only 110 will be chosen to take part in the program. To qualify for the guaranteed income program, the applicant must live in Shreveport, be a single parent, earn 120% below the Federal poverty level, and have a school-aged child.

The people who are chosen for the program will receive a payment of $660 a month for a year. There are no work requirements or restrictions on how the money can be spent.

The program is privately funded by Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. Their organization raises private money across the country to start programs in other cities as well. The Caddo Parish Commission also donated $400,000 to help the program get started

Research findings will be gathered from the participants to track the effectiveness of the program. Here are the measurables that will be tracked:

• The stability of the participating families’ income
• Employment
• Financial stability
• Mental and physical health
• Changes in behavior
• School attendance and academic performance for school-aged children

The applicants will be chosen randomly by a third-party lottery company.