AUSTIN, Texas — A final report shows the positive impact a guaranteed income program had on struggling Austin families.
Austin launched the pilot program aimed at helping families struggling with rent, by giving 135 families $1,000 a month for a year.
The program, which ended in 2023, was a partnership between Austin and the “systems change” organization UpTogether. It allowed families to use the money however they wanted.
A newly released report by the Urban Institute showed the program’s impact on families who took part, which found a majority of people used more than 50% of the money towards rent.
“Folks remained substantially more housing secure than they were in the beginning of the pilot, and their incomes had gone up,” said principal investigator Mary Bogle.
What was the money used after rent? Families spent the rest on things like food. Bogle said the program was able to help people’s mental health by relieving some stress during that time.
“It wasn’t just they felt food secure. It increased the quality of food. They were eating healthier meals,” Bogle said.
Ultimately, Bogle said the overall program did what it was supposed to do.
“When you give people their own choice of how to spend a resource, they are pretty good at getting themselves out of difficult financial struggles,” Bogle said.
Taniquewa Brewster, an Austin mother of five, participated in the pilot program. She said before the program, things were challenging.
“We were struggling with rent payments because everything increased, eviction was happening, lights, utilities … There were so many things going on,” Brewster said.
Brewster said she was working part-time and found it tough to get by, but that the program helped her quality of life.
“It gave housing security, financial security, too many it doesn’t seem like much but when you are in a situation and that’s all have you’ll make it work,” Brewster said.
In a few months, Brewster said she went from facing eviction to feeling comfortable with her housing situation. She was also able to put good quality meals on the table for her family and went from a part-time job to full-time employment.
“I am working full time because I was able to get a certification as a leasing agent,” Brewster said. “It was motivation to do more.”