SF’s New Guaranteed Income Program for Trans Community
San Francisco recently announced the launch of a new guaranteed income program for San Francisco’s trans community. The Guaranteed Income for Trans People (GIFT) Program will provide low-income transgender San Franciscans with $1,200 each month, up to 18 months to help address financial insecurity within trans communities.
As part of the City’s growing portfolio of guaranteed income programs, GIFT is one of several programs the City is developing, implementing, and evaluating to identify how to best support San Francisco residents and promote economic stability and recovery. This pilot program is the first guaranteed income initiative to focus solely on trans people, and will accept applications from November 15 through December 15, 2022.
The GIFT Program will provide 55 eligible trans individuals with temporary income and a range of wrap-around direct services such as gender-affirming medical and mental health care, case management and specialty care services, as well as financial coaching.
“Our Guaranteed Income Programs allow us to help our residents when they need it most as part of our City’s economic recovery and our commitment to creating a more just city for all,” said Mayor London Breed. “We know that our trans communities experience much higher rates of poverty and discrimination, so this program will target support to lift individuals in this community up. We will keep building on programs like this to provide those in the greatest need with the financial resources and services to help them thrive.”
Transgender communities, experience poverty and economic instability at disproportionate rates. In 2015, when the U.S. Trans Survey was last conducted, 33% of trans Californians were living in poverty, compared to 12% of people in the general population. The percentage among trans people who are also Black, Indigenous and People of Color is even higher.
The City’s guaranteed income programs are an economic model that provides regular, unconditional cash transfers to individuals or households. This differs from other social safety net practices by providing a steady, predictable stream of cash to recipients to spend as they see fit without limitations. The GIFT program is San Francisco’s third guaranteed income program. It follows the Abundant Birth Project and the Guaranteed Income Pilot for Artists.
Read more at GIFT
