Abigail Marquez, a presenter from the Community Investment for Families Department, told the Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee on June 20 that city staff are asking for authority to launch a guaranteed-income pilot called “Stay Safe” to support survivors of intimate partner violence and transitional-age youth.

Marquez said the city has identified $2,000,000 in discretionary funds for the pilot and secured a $250,000 grant from the mayor’s guaranteed-income program; staff proposed benefit periods of 18 to 24 months and said the pilot would include a research component and a hospitality training partnership. “The collective investment of 2,000,000 is making us another pilot possible,” Marquez said.

The city frames Stay Safe as building on the earlier Big Leap guaranteed-income program, which provided $1,000 monthly stipends during the COVID-19 pandemic to 3,200 participants and, according to staff presentations, produced measurable improvements in food security, health and housing stability. Marquez said survivors of intimate partner violence reported the funds were “life changing,” and staff expect the new pilot to test whether longer-term payments plus job training improve outcomes for the target groups.

Councilmember Heather H. Padilla (first reference uses the full title used in the meeting) praised the design and asked staff about research linking cash assistance to workforce training. Staff said evidence is evolving but that coupling cash with wraparound services has strengthened outcomes in other pilots; staff also noted Denver is conducting a related pilot for transitional-age youth.

During questions, staff clarified federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds cannot be used for direct income support and that the pilot will rely on local discretionary and philanthropic sources. Staff said they hope to launch the program shortly after the new fiscal year begins, in July or August 2025, contingent on available allocations and partner arrangements.

The committee did not record a separate vote authorizing transfer of Stay Safe funds at the June 20 meeting. Staff requested authority to move forward with program design and to seek the necessary budget allocation from the mayor and City Council.

The presentation and discussion included these concrete program details: $2,000,000 identified from discretionary funds; a $250,000 grant from the mayor’s guaranteed-income program; proposed benefit duration of 18–24 months; research component and a hospitality training academy partnership; target populations of survivors of intimate partner violence and transitional-age youth.