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☆ Over 82,000 Houston-area residents applied to a Texas guaranteed income program giving $500 a month. Fewer than 2,000 made it in.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Just over 2% of applicants to a Houston-area guaranteed income program were accepted — a lower acceptance rate than Harvard or Yale. Starting this month, 1,928 families will receive $500 a month, no strings attached, through Uplift Harris, a guaranteed income program in the Texas county that includes Houston. A majority of participants selected live in high-poverty ZIP codes and have a household income below 200% of the federal poverty line. Some participants were selected through the county's Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency program which helps vulnerable residents improve outcomes. The pilot has been met with opposition from politicians including Texas State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who in January sent a letter to the state attorney general concerning whether counties can legally enact guaranteed income programs.

Persons: Dustin Palmer, AidKit, Palmer, GiveDirectly, We've, Texas State Sen, Paul Bettencourt, Bettencourt, I've, it's Organizations: Service, Harvard, Yale, Business, American, SNAP, Texas State, Houston Public Media, Austin Locations: Houston, Uplift Harris, Texas, Harris, Harris County, West Harris County

☆ Why Republicans are fighting the basic-income programs many cities and states are adopting: 'Is money a birthright now?'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Read previewAs guaranteed basic-income programs get more popular, opposition is also on the rise. Several lawmakers, like Arizona's Gillette, believe that income programs would discourage work and could raise taxes. A recently introduced bill in South Dakota would ban basic-income programs at the state level and prevent municipal governments from creating local programs. AdvertisementDespite opposition, basic-income program participants have seen benefitsPilot income programs have remained divisive with policymakers, but several major cities have seen positive results. In 2020, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pledged $15 million to Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, which helped 25 cities and towns nationwide begin basic-income programs.

Persons: —, Dia Broncucia, Justin Searls, John Gillette, Gillette, Arizona's Gillette, Lupe Diaz, Steve Holt, Skyler Wheeler, Sen, John Wiik, Paul Bettencourt, Bettencourt, Harris, I've, Ivanna Neri, Neri, UpTogether, Tony Evers, Austin, Stephanie Hendon, Louis, Jack Dorsey, Mark, Anthony Middleton Organizations: Service, Business, Income, Austin, BI, Republican, Republicans, GOP, Social Security, Iowa GOP, Houston Public Media, Gov, Madison Forward Fund, Madison Locations: Denver, Arizona, Arizona , Iowa, South Dakota , Texas, Wisconsin, Phoenix, Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, Houston, UpTogether, Harris, Madison, Minneapolis , Northern Virginia, Boston, St, Oregon, Durham

☆ Texas state lawmaker criticizes 'universal basic income' programs: 'We can't just hand out money like popcorn on street corners'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Texas state senator said a Texas-based basic income plan will "hand out money like popcorn." State Sen. Paul Bettencourt asked the state attorney general to declare it unconstitutional. Bettencourt's request came on the same day that the program — called Uplift Harris — started taking applications. The Uplift Harris program plans to provide eligible households in Harris County, which includes Houston, $500 a month for up to 18 months. "We just can't hand out money like popcorn on street corners to people that walk by," Bettencourt told Fox.

Persons: Sen, Paul Bettencourt, —, State Sen, Harris —, Bettencourt, Fox, Harris, Menefree, Bettencourt's Organizations: Service, Republican, American, Plan, Houston Chronicle, Fox News, Texas, Houston Public Media Locations: Texas, Houston, State, Harris County, Harris

☆ Texas senator says the plan to give poor residents a $500 guaranteed basic income is unconstitutional
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Guaranteed basic income is similar to universal basic income except it targets a particular group. Similar programs to the one in Harris County are being adopted in cities all over the country. The Uplift Harris program plans to provide eligible households in Harris County, which includes Houston, $500 a month for up to 18 months. "They are not a Home Rule city," Bettencourt told Houston Public Media. Uplift Harris provides guaranteed basic income to households in the zip codes with the highest poverty rates in Harris County, according to the program's website.

Persons: —, Sen, Paul Bettencourt, Harris —, Bettencourt, I've, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee Organizations: Service, Business, American, Plan, Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Media, Harris, Harris County Attorney Locations: Texas, Houston, Harris County

☆ 4 cities in the South where home prices are falling
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

In four southern metros home prices fell over 1% in September, per Realtor.com. Houston, Memphis, Raleigh, and San Antonio had experienced high home prices as people moved there. Those locations have more homes for sale than in other places, so buyers have more power. AdvertisementAdvertisementFour of the 50 largest metro areas had a drop in home prices last month, compared to September 2022. For example, in San Antonio, where prices dropped most of the four cities, the inventory of homes for sale in September grew 24% compared to a year earlier.

Persons: San Antonio, —, Evan Wyloge, Danielle Hale, there's Organizations: metros, Service, Houston Public Media Locations: Houston, Memphis, Raleigh, San, Houston , Memphis, San Antonio

☆ Texas is about to shut down an election office in a heavily Democratic county that includes Houston less than two months before the city's mayoral election
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Harris County, which includes Houston, must close its election administration office by Friday. Losing Republican candidates blamed the Harris County election office for their losses in 2022. But that election will no longer happen under the authority of Harris County elections officers. Harris County election office shut downLegislators passed the bill abolishing the Harris County elections office after so far unproven claims by losing Republican candidates that administrative issues at the office swayed the results of the November 2022 general election, the Texas Tribune reported. The Texas Office of the Attorney General did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

Persons: Sylvester Turner, Greg Abbott, Christian Menefee, Menefee, Turner, Sheila Jackson Lee, State Sen, John Whitmire Organizations: Houston, Service, Democrat, Republicans, Democratic, Texas Gov, Republican, Texas Tribune, Houston Public Media, Texas Office, State Locations: Harris, Houston, Wall, Silicon, Harris County, Texas, Democratic Harris County

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