Evanston Expands Guaranteed Income Program as Reparations Plan Faces Lawsuit

Evanston, Illinois, officials announced this week the launch of the final round of the city's Guaranteed Income Program, expanding it to deliver $500 monthly payments to 102 households over the next six months with the remainder of federal pandemic recovery funds.

The program, originally a pilot funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, uses funds that must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. City officials recently voted to broaden eligibility beyond families with children in specific census tracts. It now includes residents across the entire city, adults aged 55 and older, and households earning at or below 185% of the federal poverty level.

"This initiative is designed to provide direct financial assistance to help households meet essential needs such as nutrition and everyday expenses, offering a meaningful boost toward stability and well-being," the city stated in a release.

The expansion drew internal concerns. Alison Leipsiger, the city's policy and intergovernmental affairs manager, warned of a significant administrative burden. "We had a lot of spam, and it took a long time to get through that [during the first round]," Leipsiger told the City Council. "Opening it up to everyone... is nothing we’ve ever dealt with before."

Evanston officials did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Evanston is one of more than 100 U.S. cities that have launched no-strings-attached cash pilots since 2018. The Chicago suburb sits in a region gaining traction on the policy. Nearby Cook County recently moved to establish the nation's first permanent guaranteed income program and allocated $7.5 million in its 2026 budget to sustain its "Promise" program indefinitely.

The guaranteed income extension coincides with Evanston's ongoing reparations program, the first of its kind in the U.S. In February, the city's Reparations Committee announced $25,000 payments to 44 more residents. At least 193 individuals have received payments so far, with the city committing $10 million over a decade.

The program targets Black residents or their descendants who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969, when the city enforced systemic housing discrimination and redlining.

Its future hangs in federal court. In March 2026, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness denied the city's motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit from Judicial Watch. The conservative legal group represents non-Black residents who claim the race-based eligibility violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.