Migrants living in Fresno, California, could be eligible for $500 monthly payments from the government under the Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income program.
As inflation was at 3.5 percent for the 12 months ending in March, Americans are still struggling to afford everyday necessities like groceries and housing.
In Fresno, the government looks to aid low-income residents with monthly payments of $500. In all, 150 households will be chosen for the continuous checks, which are delivered to recipients through prepaid debit cards.
However, there are certain criteria to qualify for the guaranteed income. Recipients must live in the list of specified ZIP codes and have children up to age 5. There are also specific income requirements depending on which ZIP code a person lives in.
Importantly, immigration status is not considered in the application process for the guaranteed income, so many migrants living in California could be eligible for the government checks.
Application deadline for the Advancing Fresno County Guaranteed Income program is May 15, accepted online and in certain locations in Fresno and Huron.
Recipients will be chosen via a lottery system, with everyone in the program being alerted by mid-May. The first payments go out in mid-June.
"Programs like Fresno are becoming more and more popular throughout the country, as city and county governments look to improve the economic conditions of those living in poverty through highly targeted programs," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. "It's dropping a lifeline to those who are in most need of financial assistance."
While many other states and cities have offered similar guaranteed income programs, one difference between Fresno's and many others is the lack of immigration status requirement.
In Fresno, nearly 40 percent of the population in ZIP code 93706 live in poverty, making the program especially necessary for the residents facing elevated inflation and housing costs.
The city raised more than $1 million to deliver the guaranteed income for those making less than $35,000 a year.
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"It makes the program more accessible and breaks with some of the policy procedures other programs in California have that have limited how many can access them," Beene said.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Suzanne Blake is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on consumer and social trends, spanning ... Read more
