Chicago is fighting poverty with the approval and opening of two significant programs to help families cope with the rising cost of living.
Thousands of residents may soon get $150 gas cards or pre-loaded $50 public transportation cards in the program called Chicago Moves, as launched by the City Council and Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
As of Wednesday, April 27, 2022, the city has opened the application for the $150 gas cards for 50,000 locals and $50 transportation cards for 100,000 residents. The mayor said that the distribution would be limited to one card per household, which will be chosen through a lottery system.
How to Apply: $150 Gas Cards
Applicants eligible for Chicago Moves must be 18 years old and above and have a valid Chicago address and current city sticker for their vehicles. They should also be earning a household income below the Area Median Income. Chicago's current median income for a typical family of four is $93,200.
City of Chicago $150.00 Gas Card pic.twitter.com/QHDACjNVXm
— Oliver Gavin (@OliverGavin4) April 27, 2022
However, the mayor also said that the gas and transportation cards distribution will be prioritized for families living in the South and West Side communities as these locations have "high mobility hardship."
To apply, residents may fill out the form via the Chicago Moves Application prepared for this rollout, or they may visit public libraries to do the process in person. Distribution of the cards will begin in the middle of May 2022.
How to Apply: $500 Guaranteed Basic Income
The city also opened applications for the monthly $500 Guaranteed Basic Income on Wednesday. According to WTTW, 90,000 residents applied for the stimulus within 24 hours, but only 5,000 families will be chosen via lottery to receive $500 for 12 months.
The Guaranteed Basic Income program is open to residents above 18 years old. Their average household income must be below $69,375 for a family of four. Residents may continue to send in their applications before the deadline on May 13 through Chicago.Gov/Cashpilot.
Apart from these two programs, Lightfoot has previously opened the applications for the Domestic Worker Relief Fund. This is a one-time $500 payment for domestic workers. The City Council has also opened the Resiliency Fund 2.0, another one-time $500 cash boost for residents who did not receive any stimulus check from the government.
The Clear Path Relief pilot, on the other hand, will eliminate the ticket fees owed by low-income drivers who have had violations like expired license plates or expired city stickers. This relief will extend a 50 percent discount on the fines.
A Campaign Gimmick?
Meanwhile, during a City Council meeting, some Chicago aldermen said that these programs are campaign gimmicks. Lightfoot has been accused of pulling a political stunt by Willie Wilson, a local businessman who plans to run for mayor in 2023. Last week, Wilson launched a gas giveaway across his gasoline stations as the national average for gas prices has risen to $4.394 per gallon.
Her critics said that the gas and transport cards bear the mayor's name. Analysts estimate that these new programs will benefit less than 10 percent of the residents. Some say that a one-time gas card will not be sustainable.
