Newly elected Mayor Brandon Scott will provide unconditional payments of $1,000 a month for two years to low-income families in Baltimore City’s new guaranteed income pilot program, according to local news WBAL.
According to a statement released by Scott’s office, the $1,000 monthly checks will be distributed to 200 low-income households across a metro area that struggles with violent crime and a broken economy thanks to decades of Democratic leadership.
The city allocated $4.8 million in the American Rescue Plan funding to finance the Baltimore Young Families Success Fund. It’s a cover for pilot testing universal basic income (UBI).
Requirments for free money require that a person be a millennial (18-24), be either the biological or adoptive parents or guardians, and have income at or below the federal poverty level.
The free money comes with no strings attached, and they can spend it on anything.
Commenting on the UBI test program, Scott said:
“This is fundamentally about putting our families in a position to succeed. We are putting money directly into the hands of our residents because they know more than anyone else what their families need to ascend the ladder of opportunity.”
Baltimore will be the latest city to trial UBI in an increasing number of city leaders across the US who provide free money to their citizens as a base income.
Palm Springs, California, recently adopted a UBI pilot program for low-income transgender people. The city of Oakland, California, launched a UBI program for low-income families last year.
Read more: Baltimore Residents To Get $1,000 Checks In UBI Pilot Test
