Measure to Help Fight Poverty and Increase Equity in Prince George’s County

The Prince George’s County Council, during session on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, adopted CR-018-2023, legislation proposed by Council Member Krystal Oriadha (District 7), creating a Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program tailored to the needs and resources in the County in conjunction with aid from The Greater Washington Community Foundation. The Basic Income Pilot Program will be modeled after the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) program in Stockton, California.

Under the measure, low-income families would be given direct cash assistance to support their basic needs, such as food and utilities, without strings attached or repayment requirements. Residents selected to participate in the program will receive monthly cash stipends for 24 months to ensure the financial security of families, reduce debt, and increase financial equity.

Council Member Oriadha says the Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program will help address generational poverty, build economic stability, and broaden the scope of public safety services for residents.

“Quite simply, there are vulnerable populations within Prince George’s County who will benefit from this type of support, and The People’s Council is committed to providing them with resources to ease their economic instability. This is something being done in many jurisdictions around the country, including our neighboring jurisdictions, and I believe it will be beneficial for us in many ways. I also hope that our support of this measure provides a segue for policy change at the federal level.”

A committee comprised of Prince George’s County Council Members, and representatives from the County’s Department of Social Services, the Guaranteed Basic Income Coalition of Prince George’s County and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, will create and manage the Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program and provide the County Council with annual reports on the program’s progress.

CR-018-2023 became effective Tuesday, April 4, 2023.  

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