Denver’s basic income pilot — which first started payments in fall 2022 — focused on over 800 Coloradans experiencing homelessness, including people living in cars, temporary shelters, the outdoors, or other non-fixed living situations. Participants like Laws were given direct cash payments, no strings attached, and could spend the money on whatever they needed.

Denver released the project’s one-year report on June 18, showing that 45% of participants secured their own house or apartment after receiving basic income for 10 months. They also experienced fewer emergency room visits, nights spent in a hospital or a temporary shelter, and jail stays. The report estimates that this reduction in public service use saved the city $589,214.

  • snooggums@midwest.social
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    5 months ago

    I just can’t believe that when you give money to people who don’t have enough they will spend it on basic necessities! Maybe we should try replicating this nationally to see if this was just an outlier.

    For a control, maybe do an income for everyone. To keep is simple, we would need to stick to the basics and just give everyone the same amount and see if it provides universal stability. There is probably some kind of name that would cover this universally basic income.

    • DominusOfMegadeus
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      5 months ago

      This can’t be right. I’m certain money is required to trickle from somewhere. You can’t just give it to people!

      /s

      • ɔiƚoxɘup
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        5 months ago

        Their motto should be “The cruelty is the point” for all the policies they push.