The Yolo County Basic Income (YoBI) program was a quasi-experimental two-year intervention from spring 2022 to spring 2024 that provided monthly financial support to low-income families in Yolo County with the goal of lifting them above the California poverty measure. Specifically designed for families with young children or expecting parents, YoBI was meant to reduce stress associated with meeting basic needs to promote healthier and more financially stable families. Through collaborations between Yolo County Health and Human Services, First 5 Yolo, other community agencies, and researchers from UC Davis, including the DESC Lab, preliminary findings showed reductions in economic hardship, having to ask friends and family for food or money, as well as increases in renting or owning a home after a year of payments. These early results, published in an article led by former DESC Lab member Megan Smith, suggest guaranteed and basic income programs can reduce financial stress and improve housing stability among low-income families. More YoBI publications are currently underway!
