Report: Baltimore’s $1,000 monthly cash assistance program helps with income, housing independence, mental health
Baltimore's $1,000 monthly cash assistance program is improving income, housing independence and mental health, according to a new report.
A pilot program distributing $1,000 in unconditional monthly cash assistance to Baltimore parents seems to be working.
A report halfway through the two-year program by a consulting agency said participants’ income, housing independence and mental health all improved in the first year of the program.
“We know that so many of Baltimore’s young families simply need the opportunity to thrive, but often don’t have the resources to help them make it happen,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in a news release. “This interim report shows how powerful the certainty and reassurance that direct assistance can be for families like these.”
Over 4,000 parents between the ages of 18 and 24 submitted an eligible application and 130 were randomly selected. The applicants were mostly women with a median household income of $9,000 and an unemployment rate of 30%. Replacements were found for 23 families who were selected but could not be reached or declined, some over the would-be loss of other benefits. Payments started in August 2022 and run until July 2024.
A control group of 156 parents represents what would have happened without the intervention, according to the report by consulting firm ABT Global.
For participants, average monthly income increased from $14,361 to $23,608 compared with an increase of $12,141 to $16,233 for the control group.
Labor force participation jumped from 64% to 71% while those renting independent living situations increased from 52% to 64%, according to the report. None of the program’s participants were homeless after one year, compared with 5% of the control group.
The program was launched by the city along with the nonprofit CASH Campaign of MD, which provided benefits counseling about any possible loss of benefits, such as Social Security or food stamps, as a result of increased income.
The report says the additional income did not seem to impact physical health or child care opportunities, and 80% said the extra $1,000 was not enough to stop food insecurity. After 12 months, incomes were still below the federal poverty level while unemployment was more than twice as high compared with the average Baltimore resident.
A guaranteed income program of some form has been implemented in over 150 cities across the country since 2022, according to the nonprofit Mayors for a Guaranteed Income.
“The demands of supporting a family make it nearly impossible for young parents to make long-term plans for a better future,” Mayors for a Guaranteed Income founder Michael Tubbs said in the news release. “The results of Baltimore’s program mirror dozens of studies showing that guaranteed income unlocks enormous potential, allowing people to get better jobs, further their education, move into better housing and improve the quality of life for their families.”
The program is funded by $4.8 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act money the city received during the coronavirus pandemic.