April 7, 2025 — NEW YORK, NY — Democratic mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams today announced her first major policy proposal: NYC’s Guarantee for the Next Generation, a plan to end homelessness for pregnant mothers, families with the youngest children, unaccompanied youth, and youth aging out of foster care. The initiative would be the nation’s largest guaranteed basic income (GBI) program, delivering unconditional monthly income to more than 21,000 vulnerable New Yorkers alongside wraparound housing, education and workforce support.
Funded through a mix of city dollars, social impact bonds and philanthropic support, the three-year program is modeled after New York City’s first city-funded GBI pilot which Adrienne created as Speaker of the City Council. That effort, launched in 2024, serves homeless pregnant women and its preceding cohorts produced compelling results: 63% of participants moved into permanent housing within nine months. If that trend holds at scale, the city would save over $1.13 billion annually in shelter costs alone.
Reducing homelessness and poverty by decreasing shelter use also improves public safety and stabilizes neighborhoods. Yet most of the debate over the past 12 years has focused on shelter siting and costs, not on how to give people a real path out of homelessness. Adrienne’s plan shifts this dynamic by investing in solutions that break the cycle, not just manage it.
“Ideology doesn’t solve problems; proven solutions do,” said Adrienne. “We have spent years — and hundreds of millions — fighting over where shelters go and who gets to stay in them, when we should be focused on getting New Yorkers out of poverty. The Council’s guaranteed income pilot directs support that helps people escape homelessness and poverty, and our approval of 120,000 new homes is creating the affordable housing they need. As mayor, I will build on that progress, starting with Guarantee NYC, so no child grows up in a shelter and no young person stays trapped in poverty. We can end homelessness for the next generation by leading with what works.”
Brianna Drummer, a participant in the current guaranteed income program funded by the City Council, said: “As a young, pregnant mother, I didn’t think anyone would show up for me like this. But Speaker Adrienne Adams’ guaranteed income program changed everything. That first payment meant I could finally breathe and after several months I was able to move into my own apartment, and I have been able to return to college for my degree because of another program she helped create. This has given me the chance to build a stable life for me and my baby. I’m living proof that these types of programs work to open up opportunity. As someone who grew up in foster care, I know there are many others who can benefit.”
A Proven Model, Now Scaled to Reach 21,000+ New Yorkers
In 2024, under Speaker Adams’ leadership, the New York City Council made history by creating the city’s first guaranteed basic income pilot using public funds. That program, administered by The Bridge Project, provided monthly cash assistance to 161 homeless pregnant women. It is based on a program, where participants saw dramatic gains:
- 63% transitioned into permanent housing
- 90% reported improved mental health after just one payment
- A 242% increase in participants with more than $500 in savings within six months
Adrienne’s mayoral plan scales this successful model to reach:
- Approximately 15,000 homeless children ages 0–5
- Approximately 6,000 unaccompanied homeless youth ages 18–24
- Approximately 500 youth aging out of foster care alone each year
Each participant would receive a one-time $2,500 stipend, followed by monthly payments starting at $1,000 and tapering to $500 over three years. These direct payments would be delivered alongside supportive services through nonprofit partners to ensure long-term stability.
Designed to Deliver Results — and Real Savings
Unlike traditional shelter models, NYC’s Guarantee for the Next Generation puts money directly into the hands of people who need it, empowering them to meet their most urgent needs. Modeled after a pilot where 63% of participants secured permanent housing, the city stands to save:
- $955 million annually if 63% of families with young children exit shelter
- $179 million annually if 63% of homeless youth (18–24) exit shelter
- Over $1.13 billion in total annual savings, far exceeding the program’s estimated two-year cost of $430 million
The city’s current shelter costs exceed $270 per day for families and $130 per day for youth. Redirecting a portion of those funds toward guaranteed income would not only reduce costs, it would improve lives and outcomes citywide.
A Bold Step Toward Restoring the Promise of New York
Adrienne Adams, a mother, grandmother, and the first Black woman to lead the city council, is running for mayor to restore the promise of New York: a safe, affordable, and fair city where the government works for working people.
With NYC’s Guarantee for the Next Generation, Adrienne is offering not just relief, but a lasting path forward for families and youth too often left behind. It builds upon her groundbreaking efforts as Speaker to lead the city in funding a guaranteed income program for the first time, and to champion increased support for foster care youth through the Fair Futures initiative.
Read the NYC Guarantee summary here.
Read the full NYC Guarantee plan here.
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Adrienne Adams currently serves as Speaker of the New York City Council. A woman of many firsts, Adrienne was elected in January 2022 by her colleagues as the first Black speaker and leads the most diverse and first-ever, women-majority council in New York City history. Elected to the city council in November 2017, Adrienne is also the first woman to represent District 28, which encompasses the Queens neighborhoods of Jamaica, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village, and South Ozone Park.
For more information on the campaign, visit www.AdrienneForThePeople.com.Contact: [email protected] • Lupe Todd-Medina - 917.202.0116
