Youth gun violence is not an isolated issue — it is the outcome of systematic disparities that have long plagued people excluded from society. We believe that gun violence is rooted in systemic problems in our community, which allows us to make a concerted effort to support our youth and families in the Bronx.
We believe that poverty and gun violence are linked. We’ve spent more than a year researching the history of violence and poverty in the United States, seeking out experts and reaching out to major gun violence prevention organizations to get their input. We’ve also analyzed data from across New York City to understand how these trends may be shaping other neighborhoods’ experiences with the increased burden of poverty, food insecurity, housing instability and gun violence.
When one experiences a personal crisis, it is important to look at the broader context of its history and current conditions. Part of our mission is to identify the causes and consequences of gun violence and poverty so that we can better understand how it affects some of the people living in the Bronx today and how it could affect other communities in New York City.
We must address these issues by providing meaningful opportunities for young people to succeed with the support of their families. This includes improving access to education, as well as creating jobs and providing opportunities for sustainable income streams so that young people can make decisions about their futures without worrying about being able to put food on the table or afford rent with such a high cost of living.
The Bronx is one of the most economically disadvantaged areas in New York, with the highest poverty percentage and unemployment rate. The near 25% poverty rate and 30% child poverty rates are the highest in New York State. The Bronx also holds the number one spot with a 6.5% unemployment rate in New York.
The Bronx is home to more than a million families with children, with students experiencing the highest rate of homelessness — one in every six students lacking permanent housing in the Bronx.
To reduce poverty in the Bronx, we need to launch a universal basic income (UBI) pilot program. The UBI program implemented in other regions across the country has shown to be successful and would be a significant addition to help our community fight the cycle of poverty. This proposed program is designed to address the Bronx’s economic inequality and help underserved families with children reach greater financial stability.
UBI is a program in which eligible individuals or households would receive a fixed, unconditional sum of money on an 18-month basis. The goal is to ensure that these families have access to food, clothing, housing and basic needs.
To be eligible for this program, you would have to be a full-time resident in the Bronx for 12 months and be the parent or legal guardian of a child under 18 years old who is currently attending a public or charter school. Your household income would have to be less than $49,800 for a family of four or $36,010 for a family of two.
An example of a Bronx UBI program could look like $400 per month for 250 families meeting specific criteria via a lottery system.
Funding could be drawn by creating a “Poverty County tax” to the new luxury buildings and new businesses in the Bronx, including developers that require a minimum of $90,000 of annual median income to apply for a new apartment, to also include the largest employers and developers in the Bronx like Brookfield Properties, RXR, JCal, Montefiore/Einstein, Hunts Point Market, Related, Prestige Properties, Simone Development, L+M Development, Dynamic Star, and the New York Yankees.
The benefits of a universal basic income for Bronx families are clear.
Alexandra Maruri works for the Angellyh Yambo Foundation.
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