It’s tough enough to be homeless without having to fight the bureaucracy.
Memphis City Council members are inquiring about ways to pass legislation aimed at helping unhoused individuals obtain IDs and remove other barriers.
“The growth of homelessness in the city is growing aggressively,” councilwoman Yolanda Cooper-Sutton said.
The councilwoman alluded to residents facing major layoffs from companies in the city, and many reached out for resources for families. She also said many unhoused people said their number-one issue was obtaining a valid ID.
“They can’t go to a place because they don’t have identification and they end up staying in the streets,” Cooper-Sutton said.
Cooper-Sutton mentioned that ID procurement has long been an issue plaguing the unhoused community, and inquired about the city helping individuals get one at no cost.
Jessica Houari, director of operations at the Hospitality Hub, said this is a barrier at men’s shelters, as they all require state ID for entry.
She said The Hub is a proponent of free ID procurement, but they encounter individuals not from Shelby County or Tennessee. This can cause delays as they have to obtain birth certificates from other states, which she said could take “anywhere from four weeks to three months.” And longer in some instances.
Kelcey Johnson, executive director of The Hospitality Hub, noted that other municipalities take Clarity IDs for unhoused people, which give them entry and access to shelters. However, Memphis does not accept these.
Officials said this decision was made by leadership at Memphis Union Mission and adopted by sister agencies.
“You’re talking about 600 beds that can’t be occupied without a state ID,” Johnson said.
Johnson said in 2016 they worked with Sen. Steve Cohen and the local government to help people get state-issued IDs without a social security card. However, he said this “draconian” requirement has made its way back.
“Here in Memphis, you can’t go to the Social Security Office and get anything without a hard copy of your state ID,” Johnson said.
Councilwoman Jerri Green saw this as an opportunity to “lobby” the state’s new representatives for help in adjusting state laws pertaining to homelessness.
Councilwoman Rhonda Logan asked officials to come back to the body with recommendations for how the council could advance policy to address this issue. Councilors also wanted updates on the growth of homelessness in the city.
Logan said an understanding of the needs of unhoused individuals and other issues would help them to move forward with a plan.
