[ExI] San Francisco Homeless Trial Scheme

[BillK]

For the last six months, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that works
with people experiencing homelessness tried a simple experiment: If it
gave some people a small basic income of $500 a month, how much could
it help?

<https://www.fastcompany.com/90662914/heres-what-happened-when-a-san-francisco-nonprofit-gave-unhoused-people-500-a-month>

With a limited amount of money from donors for the pilot—$50,000—it
decided to give 15 people $500 a month for 6 months.

The group asked its volunteers to nominate people for support, and
then selected a small cohort based on factors like diversity, how long
someone had been experiencing homelessness, and ongoing engagement
with the Miracle Friends program. People who were currently struggling
with addiction or in early recovery weren’t eligible.

With the caveat that the funds shouldn’t be spent on drugs or other
illicit activity, participants could spend the money however they
needed.

The program didn’t work perfectly. But overall, it was enough of a
clear success that the nonprofit is now raising money to continue and
expand the program.
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The trial was very small but successful. They selected homeless people
who needed a bit of help but weren't drug addicts. And now they want
to do a bigger project. That's the way to do it!  Well done!

BillK