Evaluation of the Pomona Household Universal Grant (HUG) Program

The City of Pomona is launching the Pomona Household Universal Grant (HUG) program in the Summer of 2024. Pomona HUG is a pilot project that will provide 250 parents/caregivers with children under 4 years old $500 a month for 18 months. Pomona's guaranteed income (GI) initiative provides relief for the most economically vulnerable households. The study will investigate the impacts of GI on financial security, material hardship, health and well-being, food security, social support, parenting, and childhood development. The intervention group will be compared to a control group of 350 parents/caregivers receiving only a nominal ($20) amount per month during the 18 month period.

GI programs are commonly depicted as catalysts for reshaping social welfare paradigms. Such programs not only address immediate material hardship through consistent and unconditional financial support but also have the potential to confer broader societal benefit. For instance, GI programs can reduce income inequality, enhance socio-economic conditions, and improve health outcomes and overall well being.

The early years of a child's life hold profound significance, as approximately 90% of brain development occurs before age five. This period lays the crucial foundation for lasting effects, presenting a valuable opportunity to implement an innovative two-generation GI initiative in Pomona, California. By adopting a comprehensive two-generation approach, Pomona can pave the way for transformative change in equipping parents/caregivers with the means to secure basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter for themselves and their children. By alleviating the stress of financial instability, parents/caregivers are empowered to focus on their education, skill development, career prospects, and responsive parenting. Consequently, the ripple effects hold promise to disrupt the cycle of poverty, offering a brighter future for both children and their families.

The investigators guiding research questions are to examine how GI impacts family and ecosystem outcomes. The evaluation utilizes a mixed methods approach, employing a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design which includes parent surveys, home-based observations, and semi-structured qualitative interviews.The study includes a total of N=600 dyads (parent/caregiver and child), with n=250 receiving $500 GI monthly for 18 months and a control group of n=350 receiving $20 per month for the same duration. Baseline, one-year, and follow-up surveys (at the two-year mark) will be administered to all participants. Home observations will be conducted with all 600 participants to better understand the impact of GI on parent-child relationships. Lastly, qualitative interviews will be conducted with a subset of parents receiving GI (n=30) and those who do not (n=30) to gain a deeper understanding of the intervention's impact.