$18K, 18 Months, No Strings Attached: Contra Costa County Pilots Guaranteed Income Program

In order to qualify for the program, participants must be part of an existing social services initiative, such as CalWORKS’ Welfare-to-Work or Adult Protective Services and must have legal control of their own finances. People who are or have been part of a different guaranteed income program will not be considered.

Once eligibility is determined, the final participants will be randomly selected.

Funding for the program will be allocated from three sources: $3.25 million from the Measure X sales tax, $1 million from Assembly Bill 109 and $16,200 from a Contra Costa County-based nonprofit.

Marla Stuart, director of Employment and Human Services, said 75% of the program’s budget will be dedicated to direct payments for participants.

“As a child, my family relied on programs like [Aid to Families with Dependent Children] and food stamps. Later, as an adult, I received Medi-Cal,” Stuart said. “I know firsthand the difference these programs make in people’s lives.”

Several community members and some supervisors pushed back against the plan, however.

Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston said many people in the community are afraid to sign up for county programs, especially those who are particularly vulnerable. Some immigrant families are afraid to fill out paperwork because they fear being tracked, she said, adding that they would be barred from participating because of the program’s enrollment requirement.