Uplift Harris application delayed: Program to provide residents with $500 guaranteed monthly income
Houston - The application portal for Uplift Harris, Harris County’s guaranteed income program for low-income households, was set to open on Monday but has now been delayed.
Less than an hour before the application was scheduled to launch, Harris County Public Health said it was delayed because Harris County Commissioners Court would discuss and take possible action on program details on Tuesday.
A future launch date is expected to be announced later this week. Those who are interested can fill out the interest form on the Uplift Harris website to receive a notification when the application opens.
The program will provide recipients with $500 a month for 18 months to use for essential needs, such as rent, groceries, transportation, housing, utilities, health care, and other necessities.
Proponents of direct giving say the added financial stability allows recipients to transform their lives toward things such as better jobs and better health.
"To be honest, it’s been a struggle, a very challenging ordeal," says Freda Chillis, who plans to apply for her family.
Chillis says the pandemic and high inflation have made life tough, with her husband looking for work and raising their 14-year-old son.
"Trying to eat a healthy diet, prices going up with the rent, it’s been a challenging time. And I think children can sense when parents are going through stressful situations," she told us.
"It would definitely go toward helping with rent, which has been a struggle for me, and utilities," she added.
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Uplift Harris will provide $500 a month to 1,900 low-income households for 18 months, using $20 million in federal COVID relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
"We do anticipate people will use these monthly payments for basic necessities," said Brandon Maddox of Harris County Public Health, which is running the program.
Maddox says applicants will be chosen randomly and must have household income below 200% of the federal poverty level. That's about $60,000 for a family of four.
Applicants must live in one of ten Harris County zip codes with high poverty rates: 77026, 77028, 77033, 77050, 77051, 77060,77081, 77091, 77093 and 77547, but can also be unhoused. Or applicants must be involved in Harris County's Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency Program.
The money, which is tax-free, will be paid through direct deposit to recipients' bank accounts or a debit card starting in April. There is no requirement as to how recipients spend the money, but it cannot be used for anything illegal.
Maddox says HCPH will provide oversight and direction for the program, following up with recipients on their results. He says they will also be able to access other county services they may need, such as job-training or educational programs.
Several other cities nationwide, including Los Angeles and Baltimore, are testing similar programs. Stockton, California reported some recipients of its guaranteed income program found full-time work and had better physical and mental health.
Uplift Harris will be administered by GiveDirectly, a non-profit that manages direct giving worldwide. GiveDirectly and other cities that have implemented guaranteed income programs have reported that it results in more full-time employment, and better financial and health outcomes for the recipients and the community.
"We do anticipate that regardless of what these funds are used on, we’ll see an increase in employment, increased food security, housing stability," said Maddox.
"I am totally worried. This is one thing that I have been praying about for a very long time is some type of relief," Chillis said.
"These are definitely critical times, and they’re very hard to deal with and people are suffering and dealing with anxiety, depression and we are tired. So this financial assistance will not only boost the economy, and support our children's education, but give families the desperate financial, mental and physical support that they need to lighten the hardship of this inflation we’re dealing with," Chillis writes in an email to FOX 26.