Universal Basic Income is an idea that has come to the fore in recent years but has yet to break through the ruling-class gatekeeping of our working families.

UBI is becoming more real in DC. A local non-profit is set to give UBI a go starting this week for the next year.

The “Pathway to Economic Mobility, Prosperity and Family Wellness” involves 100 families scattered around D.C. who currently receive subsidized housing from the District. For the next two years, they’ll be receiving $1,000 per month. On top of that, parents will get $1,000 they can put toward an IRA or emergency savings account. Their children will also get $1,000 put into a 529 college savings plan and $1,000 toward a Roth IRA.

As the DC Council funds billionaires to build new arenas and give rich downtown landlords tax breaks and grants to turn unoccupied offices into unaffordable housing, there are some thought leaders turning to UBI as a real alternative to evictions, homelessness, and despair for rooted residents and families struggling to keep up.