Stimulus checks of $500 per month for 18 months in the United States

This is an assistance program that will offer a stimulus check of $500 per month for 18 months to certain residents of the United States.

The initiative is part of the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

According to the county’s website, the stated goal is to “address economic inequality and reduce poverty.” The initiative comes in response to the recent coronavirus pandemic, which, according to the program, “has exacerbated many long-standing economic and health disparities in the community.”

How much is a stimulus check?

These guaranteed income pilot programs have been tested in several US states in recent years, with varying monthly payments. Some participants receive up to $1,000 per month in cities like Los Angeles and Baltimore, while more modest amounts are offered elsewhere.

Who will get the stimulus check?

Now, in an effort to address economic inequality in Harris County, Texas, residents can benefit from hundreds of extra dollars each month thanks to the Uplift Harris County Cash Assistance Pilot Program.

To be part of the program, applicants must meet certain income and geographic eligibility requirements. Two cohorts are available: one based on geographic location and the other through membership in the state’s Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self-Sufficiency Program. Eligible applicants must be 18 years of age or older and will be randomly selected for both cohorts.

Despite the area’s great prosperity, Harris County has the highest rate of economic inequality in the country, with 16.4 percent of residents living in poverty, according to the county’s website. “The COVID-19 pandemic and economic inflation have exacerbated these disparities,” the statement said.

What is a stimulus check?

This money is not a loan and there is no requirement to repay any part of the amount. According to the county’s website, “Similar programs across the country have demonstrated that direct cash assistance programs provide broad social and financial benefits to participating families and the broader community.”

Will the rich also get this stimulus check?

The program follows the concept of a universal basic income, which has been tested in several countries, to be given to individuals and families regardless of their income, benefiting even the wealthy with unrestricted payments.

Fabian Wendt, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, commented on the UBI: “Universal basic income may not be a safety net, but it’s the best one to stand on”.

$500 per month as a stimulus check

Income programs are being tested across the United States. And some participants receive hundreds of dollars a month to help with living expenses. This particular program is being tested in Harris County, Texas for 18 months.

During the pandemic, the federal government sent relief money directly to Americans, and some of these payments are still being made today.

Wendt noted that many people may interpret UBI as a “waste of money”. However, he added: “Depending on how the UBI is funded, the rich will not be the net beneficiaries. “They will contribute more to fund the UBI than they will receive as their monthly check.”