KINGSTON – More than 4,200 residents of Ulster County have applied for the Universal Basic Income pilot program, which will see 100 families each receive a $500 check every month for a year.
It is part of the county’s Project Resilience to provide funding for families in need.
The county is partnering with the University of Pennsylvania, which will select the winners by way of a lottery system with another 100 individuals participating in a control group, said County Executive Patrick Ryan.
“It is, I think, absolutely heartbreaking that we have so many folks in such great need, and I know there are many more out there, who could use this help,” he said. “We know how many even before the pandemic were living paycheck to paycheck, far too many. So, this is a small step to address that.”
Ulster is the first county in the nation to undertake a large-scale universal basic income pilot program.
The first checks should go out to the selected families in May.
