Governments Across the U.S. Are Handing Residents Cash—No Strings Attached

livemint.com:

HOUSTON—Bobbie Hines has been living in her modest home in southeast Houston for 56 years. But these days, she’s struggling more than ever to afford groceries and pay for mounting medical expenses. “Everything is so expensive," said Hines, 83 years old, a retired crossing guard.

“It’s an everyday struggle." Her Social Security benefits barely cover her bills, and she has started rationing bacon slices to save money. Earlier this month, her husband, Alfred, 85, died following a lengthy struggle with liver cancer. He was bedridden and on oxygen in their living room, and Hines spent nearly two years taking care of him.

When Hines saw a local news report about a pilot program offering $500 monthly payments to low-income residents, she thought it was a hoax. But after consulting with her family, she decided to apply. She says the extra money would change her life.

Hines is one of more than 80,000 residents of Harris County, the third most populous county in the U.S., who have applied. The program, which is set to start this spring, has roughly 1,900 spots. Houston is joining dozens of American cities and counties—most led by Democrats—that are experimenting with guaranteed-income programs amid growing wealth inequality in the U.S.

The programs are part of a trend at the local and national level toward providing direct, largely unconditional payments to Americans for everything from pandemic relief to child assistance. They reflect a growing sentiment among economists, tech industry leaders and Democrats that distributing money without strings is one of the most effective and least bureaucratic ways to help struggling Americans. Other cities that have experimented with guaranteed-income programs include Stockton, Calif.,