Advocates Push to Convert Pandemic Cash Relief into Ongoing Policy

Economic Security Project released a study titled “Right on Time: How Cash Helps Families Move Through Life’s Transitions,” urging that the no-strings-attached cash assistance introduced during the pandemic be made a lasting policy tool. The analysis, authored by Shafeka Hashash, Maya Tellman and Rayan Semery-Palumbo, draws on data from more than 250 pilots across 40 states and the District of Columbia. As federal ARPA funds must be fully expended by Dec. 31, 2026, municipalities—including Evanston, Illinois—are scrambling to allocate remaining money before the deadline expires.

Rather than advocating universal, permanent checks, the report recommends targeting payments to specific transitions such as having a child, relocating housing, or post-incarceration reentry, arguing this approach is both more effective and politically palatable. It also calls for repurposing existing budget lines like TANF, child-welfare or disaster relief to fund these payments. The initiative is supported by Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, led by former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, and state-level efforts from Economic Security California, which is preparing state-funded guaranteed-income programs.