AUSTIN (KXAN) — For an entire year, 135 households in Austin received $1,000 every month.
It was part of the city’s guaranteed income pilot , which tested how direct cash might help individuals and families with low incomes.
The guaranteed income pilot was put on by UpTogether, a national nonprofit that worked with 10 community-based partners to raise more than $500,000 of additional funds for the program.
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Those cash transfers ended in August 2023, and a new report revealed what a majority of that money was spent on.
Housing stability
Urban Institute surveyed each participant to see how they spent the money. They found that participants spent, on average, more than half of their cash to cover housing costs.
“By the end of the 12-month period, pilot participants had become substantially more housing
secure,” the report said.
After the year-long payments, 14% more people were caught up on their mortgage or rent.