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While guaranteed income advocates push to extend pilot programs to permanent government-sponsored cash assistance, one recipient spoke with Digital about the benefits of the policy.
Austin, Texas native Taniquewa Brewster was financially supported by the city’s guaranteed income program during a critical transition period in her life as she juggled parenthood, long work hours, and hoping to finish certification programs.
“It helped me start out—it gave me time to take care of things that I needed to take care of. It’s hard when you’re working 40 hours a week, and you have five children,” Brewster told Digital. “I have five kids, and I am trying to make time to do other things, fighting for these basic human rights. I didn’t have a car at the time. I was using my sister’s car. She was making sure that I got from point A to point B, doctor’s appointments, helping, looking out, taking care of my children.”
NEWLY LAUNCHED COALITION WITH ‘AFFORDABILITY AGENDA’ VOWS TO ATTACK GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAMS
Austin, Texas native Taniquewa Brewster was financially supported by the city’s guaranteed income program during a critical transition period in her life as she juggled parenthood, long work hours, and hoping to finish a college degree. (Taniquewa Brewster)
Fortunately, Brewster was told about Austin’s guaranteed income pilot program.
“She was like, there are a lot of people that are going to be put in the lottery, so there’s no guarantee that you’re going to chosen,” Brewster said. “I got a call, and they were like, well, you were chosen for the guaranteed income pilot program. You’ll get $1,000 for one year … there’s no oversight, so, what you choose to do with the money is up to you.”
After the Austin City Council launched the measure in 2022, the state capital became the first major city in Texas to use tax dollars to fund guaranteed income programs to help low-income families. The program was facilitated by the city in partnership with an organization called “UpTogether,” which advocates for “government and philanthropy” to “provide unrestricted and unconditional cash to communities …”
The guaranteed income program received $1.1 million in taxpayer funding and an additional amount of $500,000 raised in philanthropic donations for the program. The program started out issuing $1,000 monthly checks to 85 households who were at risk of losing their homes.
“I had lost my job. We were at the height of COVID,” Brewster told Digital. “That thousand dollars just came right in time, and it helped me in so many things in so many ways. And so now I’m fully employed.”
MAYORS PUSHING FOR GUARANTEED INCOME PROGRAMS DECRY THE DISMANTLING OF FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS
The city of Austin states on its website that the guaranteed income programs “act as a springboard for participants to find a way out of poverty to greater economic mobility and housing stability.”
While guaranteed income advocates push to extend pilot programs to permanent government-sponsored cash assistance, one recipient spoke with Digital about the benefits of the policy. (Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images)
“I was able to go back to school–finish an education. I became a certified leasing assistant–became a certified doula,” she added.
Brewster said many people in her community were in a similar predicament as her before she enrolled in the program. She described living in an “underserved, low-income, marginalized neighborhood” that was impacted by “gentrification.”
“So many people were on fixed incomes. We just needed the resources,” Brewster told Digital. “We were so underserved for so long. And it just helped us to realize that we do deserve things … That money really helped me to make the choices that I needed to make to grow. And I’ve seen the growth from being a part of the guaranteed income program.”
MAYORS FOR A GUARANTEED INCOME PUSH TO SOLVE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS WITH NO-STRINGS ATTACHED CASH ASSISTANCE
After the Austin City Council launched the measure in 2022, the state capital became the first major city in Texas to use tax dollars to fund “guaranteed income” programs to help low-income families. The program was facilitated by the city in partnership with an organization called “UpTogether,” which advocates for “government and philanthropy” to “provide unrestricted and unconditional cash to communities …” (iStock)
Harris County, which comprises the city of Houston in Texas, had their own guaranteed income program in 2024, which was sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Texas Supreme Court issued a ruling that froze the program.
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