New study gave $7,500 to 50 unhoused people.
Guess what?
"They did not spend more money on alcohol or drugs, contrary to what people believe, and instead they spent the money on rent, food, housing, transit, furniture, a used car, clothes. It's entirely the opposite of what people think they're going to do with the money."
Congrats to my UBC colleague Jiaying Zhao on this study.
#Unhoused #CashTransfers #UBC #IRES
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/a-b-c-study-gave-50-homeless-people-7-500-each-here-s-what-they-spent-it-on-1.6540030
“They did not spend more money on alcohol or drugs, contrary to what people believe, and instead they spent the money on rent, food, housing, transit, furniture, a used car, clothes. It’s entirely the opposite of what people think they’re going to do with the money.”
Because the argument they are trying to refute is “in general, if you give people free money, they won’t use it on the things they should be using it on, they’ll just be lazy because they’re obviously bad with money.”
They are NOT trying to refute the (pointless) argument that “there are some homeless people who would waste free money on things like drugs and alcohol”.
They are refuting the general argument against UBI, not the specific argument against individual people
Because the argument they are trying to refute is “in general, if you give people free money, they won’t use it on the things they should be using it on, they’ll just be lazy because they’re obviously bad with money.”
They are NOT trying to refute the (pointless) argument that “there are some homeless people who would waste free money on things like drugs and alcohol”.
They are refuting the general argument against UBI, not the specific argument against individual people