Bill Would Give Homeless, Low-Income Oregonians $1,000 Monthly Payment

Oregon legislators are considering a bill that would provide a $1,000 monthly stipend to homeless and
low-income people. 

The People's Housing Assistance Fund Demonstration Program would allocate $25 million from the state's general fund that would be administered by the state's Department of Human Services to provide 12 monthly payments of $1,000 to individuals who are "experiencing homelessness, are at risk of homelessness, are severely rent burdened, or earn at or below 60% of area median income." The program, proposed by Senate Bill 603, sunsets in January 2026.

The legislation would provide financial assistance to individuals experiencing housing instability. The bill's proponents argue that providing a basic income to homeless individuals could help reduce the number of people living on the streets and provide them with the resources they need to get back on their feet.

A similar program was implemented in Vancouver, B.C., in 2018, with homeless participants receiving $7,500 each. A report on the "New Leaf Project" found that the program had been successful in moving participants into stable housing and even utilizing the cash for savings.

“We saw that people very quickly moved into housing, between one and three months,” Claire Williams, the founder of the project, told KATU. “We saw that people had increased food security, which is incredible. People are getting three square meals a day.”

Portland's proposed measure would task Portland State University with studying the impacts the payments have on recipients' status and how the money is spent. Results would be reported to the legislature before the 2024 session.

If passed, the legislation would make Oregon the first state in the U.S. to offer a statewide Basic Universal Income.

Read more at KTVL.com and SB603 2023 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System (oregonlegislature.gov)