Family Economic Policy Lab

Overall, our HudsonUp Year 2 Report found an increase in full and part-time employment, increased savings among both cohorts, steady improvements in health, and multiple emergent qualitative themes. Read the full report here .

     Project Community Connections, Inc. (PCCI) launched a new cash transfer pilot program centered in the Atlanta, GA area that targets individuals experiencing homelessness. The pilot, which launched in late 2022, provides an unconditional $400 a month to 150 individuals experiencing homelessness for 12 months. Participants also receive caseworker support, as well as rent and utility assistance. PCCI is unique in its design and implementation, employing a fully randomized control trial (RCT) targeting homelessness to evaluate the effect of a basic income on homeless individuals. There is little knowledge of how unconditional cash assistance affects the outcomes of individuals experiencing homelessness, and PCCI aims to be at the forefront of such research. The Denver Basic Income Project launched a similar program, targeting those experiencing homelessness in Denver, CO that uses different payment amounts among its treatment groups.       The research will consist of a mixed methods

       The HudsonUP Basic Income (BI) pilot’s second year wrapped up in the Fall of 2022, which includes 75 individuals over two cohorts. Our lab collected data bi-annually through surveys and interviews with willing participants. In Fall 2022 a third cohort of 53 participants was added, bringing the pilot’s total number to 128 participants.      HudsonUP’s unique 5-year length allows a deeper look into the effects of BI on individuals over time. The pilot encompasses a diverse set of Hudson, NY residents, and supports approximately 2% of all Hudson residents, nearly 5% of Hudson households, and 9% of residents living in poverty.       Quantitative data from the two cohorts shows that employment rates are steadily increasing above baseline, rising 72% in cohort one, and 150% in cohort two. Along with this, participants increased their savings and made steady improvements to their health. Overall, participants experienced positive changes in many areas. HudsonUP reduced much of the fin

     The American Rescue Plan, last year’s pandemic relief package, could be the long-term strategy for ending child poverty in America . Studies conducted over the past year have found significant evidence that one policy expansion effectively reduces hardship, strengthens financial security for families and supports mothers in the workplace: the monthly Child Tax Credit.      In a recently published study by our own Dr. Leah Hamilton and colleagues surveyed some 1,200 parents who received the Child Tax Credit in monthly installments from July to December 2021. They also surveyed a comparison group of Americans with similar income levels in order to draw conclusions about the potential benefits of receiving a monthly tax credit in a wide range of areas including work, health, and financial stability.      We found that families were more financially secure, more likely to be working and better equipped to make healthy choices as a result of the Child Tax Credit's monthly install

               Low-income families receiving public benefits in the United States are often subject to asset limits for eligibility, which some argue to be counterproductive to their long-term economic stability. Previous research suggests that families may be more likely to save when states increase these limits. Still, more research is needed to establish whether low-income families adjust financial decisions based upon TANF asset restrictions. Our study builds upon the Nam (2008) study, which analyzed the effects of “liberalizing asset limits'' on savings behavior. We utilized data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The theoretical premise of this study is that when the asset limit is low, families are encouraged to avoid accumulating assets. Because building a savings account is a valuable first step toward self-sufficiency and eventual withdrawal from public assistance, a low asset limit appears to be a counterproductive public policy. Moreover, could potentially ex

     In Her Hands is a guaranteed income initiative focused on putting a solution to financial insecurity directly in the hands of women in Georgia. Due to historical and current inequalities in income and institutional supports, Black women are among the most likely group to experience cash shortfalls that make covering basic needs difficult. This is the result of pervasive economic disparities that have the sharpest impact on women, communities of color, and people who live at the intersection of the two.      In Her Hands, formed through direct community input, will provide an average of $850 per month for 24 months to 650 women in three communities in Georgia. This $13 million initiative, powered by a partnership with the GRO Fund and GiveDirectly, is already one of the largest guaranteed income programs in the South, a region where women of color face significant structural barriers to economic security and wealth-building. Direct, no-strings-attached cash allows individuals and