WHYY By Lily JamaliMay 16, 2021 Tia Cunningham stands in front of her home in Byram, Miss., on Wednesday. She's a past recipient of a guaranteed income pilot project in Jackson, and it helped her save up for a down payment. (Imani Khayyam for NPR) The idea of giving Americans cash without conditions once seemed radical. But the pandemic has changed that. The spotlight on income inequality has pushed the concept of a guaranteed income into the mainstream. In recent months, nearly two dozen American cities have signed on. Los Angeles may soon become the largest U.S. city to try it. It’s considering a plan to provide $1,000 a month to at least 1,000 households.