Brookline mother in guaranteed income pilot says it's been 'a life-changing experience'

"(she works at Beth Israel hospital and made the cut by a razor-thin margin of just $2 below the salary cap). It doesn't stop there. The 51-year-old is in remission from breast cancer, improved her credit score by over 100 points in just three months, and is currently putting her two eldest daughters through college. And now? She is one of 53 residents in the housing authority to participate in a guaranteed income pilot program to help her find long-term financial stability."

"Brookline is a tale of two cities, in many ways; the town has a median income north of $140,000 and yet, one in four residents experience financial hardship, according to Zoraida Fernandez, co-president of the Brookline Community Foundation. The financial divide is a stark one, but guaranteed income programs can be a simple and incredibly effective way to take people out of poverty."

Fifty-three Brookline Housing Authority residents receive $750 per month for one year through the UpTogether Brookline guaranteed income pilot. Karen, a 51-year-old mother of four who requested use of her first name, secured an apartment after 14 years on the waitlist, works at Beth Israel Hospital and met the salary cap by $2. She is in remission from breast cancer, raised her credit score by over 100 points in three months, and is putting her two eldest daughters through college. Brookline’s median income exceeds $140,000 while one in four residents face financial hardship; the pilot pairs the housing authority and the Brookline Community Foundation using American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Read at Boston.com