Ulster Undertakes Universal Basic Income Pilot Program

KINGSTON, NY — Ulster County will be selecting 100 people to receive $500 a month for an entire year, funded through community donations.

County Executive Pat Ryan said Tuesday the Project Resilience Universal Basic Income Pilot Program received more than 4,200 applicants since the process opened Feb. 15.

County officials said the University of Pennsylvania will randomly select 100 people to participate in the program through a lottery system and have them submit a baseline survey by April 1.

Ryan said he was excited that Ulster County is the first county in the country to undertake a large-scale universal basic income that will provide much-needed economic relief directly to families.

"Enrolling these participants is a major milestone in this process," he said. "We look forward to seeing the impact on the lives of our residents and participating in the national conversation about the importance of creating this policy to help people in need across the country."

Once the list of participants is finalized and chosen a banking partner, people will receive their first checks on May 15. Their improvements in mental and physical health, as well as employment status, will be tracked with quarterly surveys.

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