Supervisors to discuss guaranteed income program

Guaranteed income programs are considered an anti-poverty tool in which those in need are given a set amount of cash aid per month for an extended period of time that they can spend as they see fit, according to staff who cited the Jain Family Institute, a leading GI program designer.

The city of Stockton was one of the first jurisdictions in the state to adopt a GI program, in 2017. The initiative, deemed Stockton’s Economic Empowerment Demonstration or SEED program, provided 125 randomly selected residents with $500 a month for two years. About 40% of program participants have since found full-time employment compared to about 5% of a control group established to gauge the program’s success, according to county staff.

Since then, according to the staff report, GI programs have begun to pop up across the nation with a growing number of mayors joining an advocacy group, Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. While programs are largely focused on supporting low-income groups, some have also targeted other underserved communities like Oakland’s Abundant Birth Project for Black mothers, San Francisco’s targetting struggling artists or Santa Clara County’s program aiming to support young people emerging from the foster care system.

San Mateo County officials from the Human Services Agency and County Health proposed a similar GI program of its own, in 2022, that would have provided 62 foster youth and 256 pregnant women $1,000 a month for 18 months. But that proposal was not selected for state funding.

The county has invested more than $225 million into community aid programs during the COVID-19 pandemic but, given that many are still recovering and an economic recession is possibly on its way, county staff is recommending the board consider additional support programs like guaranteed income.

Tuesday’s discussion, being brought forward by board President Dave Pine and Vice President Warren Slocum, will touch on the county proposal and two other programs currently running in the county.

“In many cases, the challenges and systemic inequities of the county’s vulnerable populations that existed before the pandemic were exacerbated during the pandemic and have not gone away,” read the staff report. “As the county considers how to best address these needs now, especially with the likelihood of an impending recessionary economy, it is worth exploring the experience of the Guaranteed Income model.

One recently established by South San Francisco provides 135 residents with $500 per month for a period of 12 months. The $1.2 million program is largely supported by the city’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation with another $100,000 coming from the county and $100,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

A second program, launched last February, and backed by a $3.2 million contribution from the San Mateo County Children’s Health Initiative Trust Fund, provides 500 immigrant families with $400 per month for a period of 12 or 14 months. To qualify, participants had to be low-income earners who were ineligible for state or federal relief programs during the pandemic.

No formal action is agendized as part of the discussion. The Board of Supervisors will meet in the County Center chambers at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17. The public can watch the meeting live by visiting sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and clicking the “in progress” button in the video column. The meeting can also be viewed live through Zoom at smcgov.zoom.us/j/96618542311 or by telephone at +1 (669) 900-6833. Meeting I.D. 966 1854 2311.