Councilman Canek Aguirre spoke with ABC7 about Alexandria’s new guaranteed basic income pilot: Alexandria Recurring Income for Success and Equity (ARISE) which will provide $500/month to 170 randomly selected eligible residents for two years.
Click here to watch the interview or read more below.
Click here to learn more about the ARISE pilot program.
New guaranteed income program opens in Alexandria; 170 residents to get $12k over 2 years
ABC7
November 2, 2022
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was passed to allow the nation to cope with a bleak health and economic crisis. 7News On Your Side looked into where the money is going. Nearly $60 million going to the City of Alexandria. To see how this municipality is spending this money click here.
“It was a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. We got just shy of $60 million and we’re able to utilize that across a variety of different departments whether it’s infrastructure needs, social safety net needs," City of Alexandria Councilmember Canek Aguirre told 7News. "It was really amazing and we’re really doing a great job of tracking it but being very transparent to the public to show where the money is going, how much has been spent, and the types of projects and the impacts that it is having.”
$3 million of those dollars have been earmarked for a new pilot program called “ARISE” which will put $500 a month for two years into the pockets of people struggling financially. And they can use the money however they want. This week, at various locations throughout Alexandria like this Neighborhood Health clinic for the under and uninsured, residents are registering for a unique lottery that could change their lives.
“As it’s titled, ARISE, we are trying to lift people up," Aguirre said.
Aguirre is talking about a new guaranteed income program starting in early 2023. 175 randomly selected recipients will receive the lump sum monthly for 24 months with the checks going out in January. All they need to apply is to be an adult city resident living at or below the average median income. For a family of four in Alexandria, that’s $71,150 a year.
“Instead of taking a small, little pick at the issue we are taking a sledgehammer to really try and shake the system up," Aguirre added.
