Cambridge committee reviews Rise Up findings showing relief without lasting economic mobility

CAMBRIDGE — April 8, 2026 — Cambridge committee reviews Rise Up guaranteed income findings, with $22 million program showing relief but limited mobility gains. The Human Services and Veterans Committee heard the final evaluation Wednesday of Rise Up Cambridge, which provided $500 a month for 18 months to roughly 1,900 low-income families from July 2023 through February 2025, funded by 25 percent of the city's ARPA allocation. MDRC researcher Meena Adu reported that between 85 and 93 percent of households used payments for basic needs, but close to 80 percent of participants described facing greater financial hardship after payments ended and average incomes did not significantly improve. City Manager Yan Huang cited national studies — including a $1,000-a-month, three-year program that found "no measurable improvement" on health, employment, or food security compared to a control group — and argued the city should shift toward more targeted interventions such as expanding subsidized childcare to two-year-olds. Councillor Sabrina Wheeler countered that the program's efficiency and dignity for recipients remained compelling justifications, and Cambridge Community Foundation President Geeta Pradhan said Rise Up "proved that cash stabilizes families and that keeping families from falling further behind is in itself a profound and worthy goal."