Mayor Breed Launches Guaranteed-Income Program for Low-Income Trans People

On Tuesday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed officially launched a first-of-its-kind program offering guaranteed monthly income to low-income trans residents of the city.

Called the GIFT or Guaranteed Income for Trans People program, it will offer guaranteed-income payments of $1,200 per month for up to 18 months. The program recognizes that trans people experience poverty and homelessness at significantly higher rates than other demographic groups.

According to an announcement from the Mayor’s Office, the program will provide “temporary income and a range of wrap-around direct services, such as gender affirming medical and mental health care, as well as financial coaching.”

The program is being launched with the help and organization of Lyon-Martin Community Health Services and The Transgender District.

The city previously launched a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program for artists in 2021, as well as another guaranteed income program focused on Black and Pacific Islander mothers and young children. And Breed first announced the program for trans people back in July 2021, but it is just now accepting applications — from November 15 to December 15, 2022.

“Our Guaranteed Income Programs allow us to help our residents when they need it most as part of our city’s economic recovery and our commitment to creating a more just city for all,” Mayor Breed said in a statement. “We know that our trans communities experience much higher rates of poverty and discrimination, so this program will target support to lift individuals in this community up.”

In her initial announcement last year, Breed said about the program, “We heard from the [trans] community that this program was something that could offer real, needed support, and it’s one of a number of significant investments that we’re making in this budget to ensure that our trans community has the resources and the targeted programs that will help them thrive in San Francisco.”

Pau Crego, Executive Director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives, said in a statement, “Even with our rich history of trans advocacy, we see that trans San Franciscans experience poverty at exponentially higher rates compared to the general population.”

To apply for the program, trans residents of the city can go online to GiftIncome.org, or apply by phone at 415-213-1717 or in person at 1735 Mission Street, during normal business hours.