Oakland group plans to launch nation’s biggest basic-income research project

In a detailed proposal unveiled late Wednesday, Y Combinator Research said it wants to give 1,000 low- and moderate-income people $1,000 a month with no strings attached for three to five years and compare them to a control group of 2,000 people who get $50 a month.

The nonprofit, YCombinator Research, is separate from Altman’s Y Combinator startup accelerator, which has backed Airbnb and Dropbox among many other companies.

Elizabeth Rhodes, the project’s research director, said the project will start next year if it can secure $60 million from individuals, foundations and other donors.

The concept of universal basic income refers to a cash payment from government to all individuals with no work, income or other requirements and no restrictions on how the money can be spent.