Residents of Sacramento County, California, will soon benefit from a guaranteed income initiative, providing eligible families with $725 per month for one year. This program, known as the Family First Sacramento pilot program, was recently approved by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. It aims to support low-income African American and Native American families with children under the age of five.
Approximately 200 families in the county are expected to be selected through a lottery system. The program specifically targets residents in the zip codes 95838 (Del Paso Heights), 95828 (Florin), 95815 (North Sacramento), 95823 (Valley High), 95821 (Arden Arcade), and the Wilton Rancheria tribe.
Officials plan to analyze data on recipients’ financial health and spending habits to improve future iterations of the program. The median household income in Sacramento County was $84,010, with over 12% of the population living in poverty, according to 2023 Census data. Funding for the program comes from state resources and a partnership with United Way California Capital Region.
Guaranteed income programs have gained traction in the U.S. since the COVID-19 pandemic, with about 150 to 200 pilot programs launched nationwide in the past two years. For example, in 2022, Atlanta, Georgia, launched the “In Her Hands” program, providing $850 per month for two years to 650 Black women in three communities.
Similarly, California initiated its first state-funded guaranteed income pilot program in late 2023, offering $1,000 per month to Ventura County residents and $1,200 per month to San Francisco residents. While some programs impose spending restrictions, many believe that unrestricted cash assistance improves financial health and provides peace of mind.
Research from the Stanford Guaranteed Income Lab, which monitors 31 pilot programs across the country, shows that recipients primarily spend the money on food and groceries, followed by retail and services, transportation, housing, and utilities. Some also invest in education, health care, and ventures that could increase their income, such as starting a business or saving for a down payment.