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Podcast: The State of California
Episode: Universal Basic Income found to be successful in Oakland
Description: It’s not a new idea, but more and more cities and jurisdictions are giving it a try: Universal Basic Income, or UBI.
The concept is that everyone is guaranteed a minimum amount of money, typically perhaps $500 a month, to help them meet their basic needs. In some places, only those below a designated economic threshold get the money.
It was famously pioneered in Stockton in 2019, and one of the latest to give it a trial run was Oakland, where philanthropic organizations teamed up to give 600 families $500 a month for a year and a half. That pilot project is over no...