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.

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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