Durham County will launch a guaranteed income pilot program, following a unanimous vote by the Board of County Commissioners this week.
DoCo Thrives will provide $750 a month to 125 families. The families will receive another $100 monthly for completing surveys about the program as part of a study.
Participants must have children under the age of 18 and be at or below 30 percent of the county's area median income. A control group will only receive the $100 stipend.
The program is based on a guaranteed income program in Stockton, California which began in 2019.
A 2021 study found the cash payments helped participants with their financial stability and overall wellbeing, though later research found the COVID-19 pandemic may have reduced the impact.
The city of Durham launched a similar one-year guaranteed income program forformerly incarcerated peoplein 2022.