Around 100 Oakland families will be given a minimum wage as part of a pilot experiment by startup accelerator Y Combinator.

They will be given between $1,000 and $2,000 each month to see how the basic income affects their happiness, well-being and how they spend their time.

Oakland was chosen for its social and economic diversity and the fact it has areas of concentrated wealth and considerable inequality. Participants were selected randomly across the economic spectrum and include both the employed and jobless.

In a blog post announcing the plans, Y Combinator said: "In our pilot, the income will be unconditional; we’re going to give it to participants for the duration of the study, no matter what.

"People will be able to volunteer, work, not work, move to another country—anything. We hope basic income promotes freedom, and we want to see how people experience that freedom."

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Finland to consider introducing universal basic income in 2017

100+ Reddit comments:

https://reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/4s71by/universal_basic_income_to_be_trialled_in_oakland/

I don't think they will see much with a 6-12 month study, the real change/results will be with a multiple year study, especially 5+ years.

"The pilot study will run between six months and a year and test payment methods and data collection.

Although no official start date has been released, the study will be followed by a larger five-year research programme if successful."

I agree with you. 

Also $2000 a month does not go far in Oakland anymore now that rents are through the roof.