Long Beach Pledge (Cohort 2 / Phase 2)
The Long Beach Pledge Cohort 2 (Phase 2) is a guaranteed income pilot run by the City of Long Beach's Economic Development Department, providing $500 a month for 12 months to 200 low-income households with dependent children in five Long Beach ZIP codes (90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, 90810). It expanded on the original 2022 Long Beach Pledge cohort and was funded with $1.2 million from the City's local homelessness emergency proclamation as an upstream homelessness-prevention strategy. Fund for Guaranteed Income (F4GI) administered applications, enrollment, and payments, while California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Research Foundation conducted a randomized controlled trial evaluation.
Guaranteed Income, Homelessness Prevention, Single Parents, Multiple ZIP Codes, F4GI, Randomized Controlled Trial, Cohort 2 of Long Beach Pledge
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- City of Long Beach Economic Development Department
- City
- Long Beach
- State / Province
- California
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://longbeachpledge.org/
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 200
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 6,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 500 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Distribution Type
- Debit Card, Direct Deposit (F4GI payment platform offered four payment method options plus live customer support)
- Benefit details
Selected households received $500 per month for 12 months via F4GI's payment platform, which offered four payment method options and live customer support. Payments were anticipated to begin in spring 2024 and concluded roughly a year later (post-program surveys were sent about two months after the program ended, on June 2, 2025). Unlike Cohort 1, which was limited to single-earner households, Cohort 2 was open to households with multiple income earners. Participants and control-group members who took part in optional research surveys/interviews received $50-$75 debit e-cards as compensation.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Eligible households needed at least one dependent child/dependent under age 18, gross household income at or below 100% of the federal poverty level (based on 2023 guidelines for household size), and residency in one of five Long Beach ZIP codes (90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, 90810) identified as most impacted by COVID-19. Unlike Cohort 1 (limited to single-earner households in ZIP 90813 only), Cohort 2 removed the single-earner restriction. Eligible applicants were randomly assigned by F4GI to a treatment (payment) or control group as part of the CSULB research design.
Demographics
- Language
- English, Spanish, Khmer, Tagalog
Family
- Family Status
- Parent, Single Parent
- Number of dependents (minimum)
- 1
Financial
- Income as % of Federal Poverty Level
- 1,002,023 %
Geography
- US states covered
- California
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Long Beach
- Counties covered
- Los Angeles
- ZIP / postal codes covered
- 90802, 90804, 90805, 90806, 90810
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Optional
- Research / participation requirements
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Research Foundation conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing the treatment group (n=~162-170 after dropouts) to a control group (n=~249-257), using baseline (Feb 2024), mid-program (Oct 2024), and post-program (June 2025) surveys plus in-depth interviews with a subset of 30 single-parent recipients (19 re-interviewed post-program). Participants received $50 debit cards for surveys and $75 for interviews. The final preliminary report (Sept 30, 2025) found improved mental well-being, reduced stress, some debt reduction (notably medical debt), and better parent-child relationships among recipients, but no statistically significant impact on food or housing security on average.
Application Process
- How to apply
Applications were accepted online at longbeachpledge.org/apply during a fixed window (opened in January 2024, closed January 24, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.), in English, Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog. Applicants without computer or smartphone access could use public computer labs and receive assistance at Long Beach Public Library Family Learning Centers (Billy Jean King Main Library and Michelle Obama Library).
- Selection process
F4GI evaluated applications against eligibility criteria (dependent children under 18, household income at/below 100% of the federal poverty level, residency in one of the five eligible ZIP codes) and then randomly assigned eligible applicants to a treatment (payment) group or a control group as part of a randomized controlled trial. Selected applicants were notified in early 2024.
