Eight-hundred low-income households are receiving monthly payments through the Compton Pledge guaranteed income program. By Melissa Chadburn for Capital & Main The city of Compton has been a lot of things: the site of fiery social conflicts with police in 1965 and 1992; the birthplace of West Coast gangster rap; and a hot spot for blight and foreclosures. But in 2021, it can be something else entirely: a role model for cities trying to provide struggling residents with a lift out of desperation. Specifically, Compton can become known for its universal basic income (UBI) program, which is among the largest such city-based efforts in the country. UBI programs offer an unconditional and often periodic cash payment. Unlike with traditional American public safety nets, there is no means testing, no work requirements. UBI recipients don’t have to disclose the backgrounds of people they live with. Funds are given as money rather than paid in kind as vouchers for food, transportation, or housing. Read more