New Phoenix program helps people experiencing homelessness get Arizona ID
Mike Jimenez lost his driver's license and thought it would take hours to get a new one.
But on Monday, he had a new ID in hand after just a few minutes. This is due to an innovative partnership launched last week between a nonprofit helping people experiencing homelessness and the state's Motor Vehicle Division. Identification is often necessary to receive public benefits, apply for jobs and receive medical care, making access to IDs critical for people who are housing insecure, experts said.
“That little piece of plastic is just plastic to most folks, but ultimately it really is the key to qualify for a lot of programs,” said Homeless ID Project Program Director Eric Ortega. Having an ID is something often taken for granted, he said, but many people, including people fleeing domestic violence or transitioning out of prison, encounter barriers to assistance because they don't have identification.
Jimenez said he has experienced homelessness for about a year and lost his ID but needed one to apply for public housing. Until last week, people in his situation who came to the Homeless ID Project's downtown Phoenix office on the Human Services Campus would receive a voucher to cover the cost of getting an ID from the state, but then they would have to take a 45-minute bus ride to the closest Motor Vehicle Division office.
Now, a full-time customer service representative from the Motor Vehicle Division is stationed within the nonprofit's office on the Human Services Campus, a collection of over a dozen organizations that aid people experiencing homelessness. The partnership is one of the first of its kind, according to the Homeless ID Project, which has connected people experiencing homelessness with resources to get personal identification documents for more than 30 years.
"If you're on the street, you either don't have or will likely lose your identification document and therefore you get stuck," said Rick Mitchell, executive director of the Homeless ID Project. People without stable housing may have their belongings stolen or could misplace them during a move, he said. Having an ID is often important for finding housing — or avoiding homelessness altogether, he said.
People needing a state ID can arrive at the Homeless ID Project office on the Human Services Campus anytime between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday without an appointment. A temporary ID will be provided on-site to people who can verify their identity, and a permanent ID will be mailed. Anyone without a fixed address can have their permanent ID sent to the Human Services Campus mailroom.
In the first week of the partnership, the Homeless ID Project issued about 152 IDs. The nonprofit is on track to provide 17,000 identifications in 2023, Mitchell said. The group has nine venues in Arizona.
“I can’t imagine anybody being in a more difficult or vulnerable spot than being homeless and not being able to prove who they are,” Mitchell said.
Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said he is excited to see the partnership expedite services.
"This is just one of the ways we can show" the division's commitment to reaching people where they are, he said.
Imogene Barnes, the Motor Vehicle Division customer service representative who has been working at the Human Services Campus, said there have been a few instances where she could not provide an ID right away. While most people stopping at the Homeless ID Project's office on the Human Services Campus have been issued an Arizona ID at some point and just need a replacement, people getting an Arizona ID for the first time may have to wait. It can take time to gather the necessary documentation to receive an Arizona ID, she said.
Larry Clark came to the office on Monday to get help replacing his birth certificate, driver’s license and food stamp card after losing his backpack. Not only will his ID be important for applying to jobs, he said, but to provide him with a sense of dignity.
“It makes me feel civilized to have an ID,” Clark said as he waited in line.
Helen Rummel is a Pulliam Fellow for The Arizona Republic. She can be reached at hrummel@gannett.com or on Twitter @helenrummel.
Coverage of housing insecurity on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: MVD launches site in Phoenix for people experiencing homelessness
