Albuquerque families said they have built savings, reduced financial stress and improved long-term stability through the city’s year-old Guaranteed Basic Income Program.

Qualified participants receive $750 per month in direct, unconditional financial support.

Rada Moss, manager of the Albuquerque Office of Financial Empowerment, said the goal is to help reduce poverty and improve mental health by helping recipients meet basic needs such as food and housing.

"Household savings are up 26%,” Moss reported. “At the same time, reliance on friends and family during emergencies have dropped by 53%, while the use of personal savings for emergencies has increased by 20%.”

Moss noted 18 participants saw gains in their credit score tiers, and three achieved homeownership during the first year of the program. The initiative is funded by the city’s recreational cannabis tax. Albuquerque’s program is unusual because it uses tax dollars to fund guaranteed income, while most similar programs are financed through grants.

Nichole Rogers, an Albuquerque city councilor and a single mother, said many low-income families cannot afford to put their children in extracurricular activities, limiting their opportunities.

“This is allowing families to dream again,” Rogers emphasized. “To hear 68% of the families say that they feel positive about their mobility, that’s life-changing. This is the work of government, moving barriers and giving people hope again.”

In announcing the first-year results, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said a community cannot succeed if young people lose hope before adulthood begins. The city has added a second program focused on young people ages 16-24.

In 2025, Congress debated a bill to create a permanent, nationwide guaranteed income pilot program but it stalled in committee and has not moved forward.

Source: Public News Service