Community & Economic Development Committee meeting — June 24, 2021
This summary is culled from the working documents of the committee regarding two focuses of its work: Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) and Reparations.
What is Guaranteed Income? And why reparations?
A guaranteed income is a monthly, cash payment given directly to individuals. It is unconditional, with no strings attached and no work requirements. A guaranteed income is meant to supplement, rather than replace, the existing social safety net and can be a tool for racial and gender equity.
The issue of reparations especially resonates with Jews who experienced Crimes Against Humanity, legal and moral acknowledgement of victimization and material compensation. In the wake of the Holocaust, survivors and their families received reparations from the West German government. This despite the fact that initially less than 30% of the German population thought they deserved anything. German companies, like VW and Siemans, paid restitution for using slave labor during the War years. And, West Germany negotiated an agreement with Israel to pay funds for the harm to individuals as well as to the nation as a whole. Jewish survivors have received reparations from the French government for the French trains that deported Jews.
There is also reparation in U.S. history. For example, in our Bay Area community, Japanese Americans have received reparations from the US government.
Programs in San Francisco & Bay Area
Summary of Bay Area Guaranteed Income Programs (SF Chronicle)
OAKLAND Oakland's guaranteed income program starts accepting applications. Who's eligible? (SF Chronicle)
San Francisco and Other Cities Try to Give Artists Steady Income (NY Times)
San Francisco rolls out a guaranteed income program giving artists $1,000 a month (SF Chronicle)
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' Guaranteed Income Pilot
City & County of SF launches task force to explore Universal Basic Income programs
San Francisco Guaranteed Income Advisory Group
Abundant Birth Project – Expecting Justice
Meet a financial coach | Office of Financial Empowerment, SF Smart Money Coaching Program
California state-wide programs
California budget has $35 million for basic income pilot programs (PBS.org)
National Programs and advocacy
Mayors for a Guaranteed Income: This group includes London Breed and Libby Schaaf. The organization is a network in which mayors come together “to advocate for a guaranteed income—direct, recurring cash payments—that lifts all of our communities, building a resilient, just America.” The Resources section of their website includes a study from the Center for Guaranteed Income Research at the University of Pennsylvania where many more resources may be found.
Economic Security Project includes Guaranteed Income in their planning and advocacy
GBI Legislation pending
(U.S.) H.R.8065 Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act of 2020 (14Aug2020) : This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and implement a three-year pilot program to provide a guaranteed monthly income to individual taxpayers between the ages of 18-65. HHS must consult with the Internal Revenue Service and certain nonpartisan and nonprofit agencies or academic institutions with expertise in social science experimentation to develop and award income subsidies to eligible taxpayers and to conduct a study on the outcomes of the program.
(CA) AB-2712 California Universal Basic Income (CalUBI) Program. (2019-2020)
Possible actions for SFUnity
* Form ad hoc working subcommittee to research and reach out to government commissions and leading groups to determine how we can best support existing efforts, while developing relationships that help us identify content and speakers for Q4 2021 Forum designed to raise consciousness and support about this issue, including legal, moral, political, and psycho-social understanding.
* Develop dedicated educational webpage on our Unity website with links to articles, groups pursuing the issue, action items, and statement from Unity Group.
* Support efforts to preserve sites of African-American history, for example:
https://savingplaces.org/african-american-culturalheritage#.YJIgVS9h10s
https://savingplaces.org/places/rosenwald-schools#.YJIgPC9h10s
* Educate ourselves more about California’s relationship to slavery (such as during Gold Rush)