Posted on 08/12/2025
Dear Neighbors,
Several years ago, I was proud to initiate the country’s largest Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) program here in Los Angeles: a highly successful pilot that went on to reach more than 3,000 poverty-stricken Angelenos.
On Aug. 5, we were able to build on this bold commitment with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez and I each dedicating $1 million in discretionary funds to expand GBI across our respective districts. This new initiative will provide $1,000 a month for two years to transitional age youth and survivors of intimate partner violence.
The groups selected for this latest round were based on independent research evaluating our first program, known as Basic Income Guaranteed: Los Angeles Economic Assistance Pilot (BIG:LEAP), which showed they are among the most vulnerable who stand to benefit greatly from it.
Of course all of this would not have been made possible without the leadership of the Community Investment for Families Department (CIFD), who will continue to oversee this initiative and its rollout. We are deeply grateful for CIFD’s ongoing commitment to helping Los Angeles residents achieve financial security and escape generational poverty.
Together, we’re creating opportunities, driving impact, and expanding access where it’s needed most. Stay tuned for more!
In solidarity,
