How can a homeless get a bacnk account, and house, if they got no IDs?

Question

I'm just wondering, and not to pity or diss at the homeless, but if there was a homeless guy alone with no relatives, how can they get a job if they have no (or lost) their SIN#, IDs, and etc, and got no bank accounts? Are there any special service to get them? But how can ppl know if the homelesses are actually THEM because they have no IDs what soever? It almost feels like they can create a whole new "them"

Answer 1

[I realize that I'm going off-topic with this answer. But I feel the urge to speak on various subjects regarding homelessness due to comments that have been made in response to this question.]

Contrary to popular belief, not all homeless people are lazy, irresponsible, and/or con artists looking for a "free ride." Actually, I'm willing to bet that MOST homeless people are in their current situations through no fault of their own.

Homelessness itself is a job (and an extremely difficult one, to say the least!). Do you have any idea what it's like to be without a roof over your head during the harsh, cold winter nights? Have you ever felt the jaws of hunger chewing away at your stomach until you feel that you're willing to do almost anything to either fill your belly or numb the pain? If you have then you will understand what I'm saying (unless you have been brainwashed by society or blinded by your own "success story"). If you haven't then you are in no place to judge those who are living, or have lived, in a place that you will most likely never even visit in your worst nightmares.

(I'm not speaking directly to you, the asker, but rather to people in general.)

People find themselves homeless for various reasons. But, whatever the reason(s), living life on the streets presents several challenges.

True, there are shelters available to homeless people. However, the following should be taken into consideration: 1) There are fewer shelters than many people realize. Most of them are located in larger cities and don't have the capacity to house a fraction of the homeless population in those cities much less homeless people elsewhere. 2) There is a time limit placed upon housing at most (if not all) shelters. It's as long as a year at some; maybe even longer. At others, it's six months. Some shelters have limits as short as a few weeks.

Time limits present a few problems for the shelter residents: Firstly, saving money in order to acquire a more permanent residence can be quite difficult for someone who is working a low-wage job and only has a few weeks or a few months in order to save enough money before he/she ends up back on the streets and having to spend much (if not all) of that money for survival. (That's IF he/she can manage to avoid being robbed.) Secondly, while people can use shelter addresses in order to acquire identification, identification isn't worth a damn unless it's government issued. And they can only legally use the address to acquire government issued identification if they are residing at the shelter address being used. [For those who say, "Well, they can just continue using the address once they leave the shelter"- Since you see no problem with breaking the law, I'm just wondering what your opinion is of homeless people whose hunger and desperation motivates them to steal. (And, yes, it IS illegal to continue using government issued identification without giving notification within the required time-period that the address on your ID is no longer your residence.)] Thirdly, it's rather difficult to maintain employment while homeless. For one thing, not everyone has the same fortitude. You try collecting garbage all day, for example, on an empty stomach (because it isn't payday yet and you didn't have any luck at panhandling). And, then, sleep in a pile of snow under a cardboard box in an ally somewhere. Oh, and don't forget to stay away from the hospital when you catch the flu- Can't afford to lose your job. You just have to continue working while sick and hungry, that is, until you collapse and lose your job any damned way.

Speaking of employment- Someone mentioned working "under the table". Again- Since you see no problem with breaking the law, what's your opinion of homeless people whose hunger and desperation motivates them to steal? I agree that desperate situations call for desperate measures. You never know what you might do once that "survival instinct" kicks in. However, it's truly unfair and hypocritical to say "Don't commit THOSE crimes" out of one side of your mouth while using the other side of your mouth to say "It's ok to commit THESE crimes."

And why in the world did someone ask why a homeless person would need a bank account? If you were homeless, would you want to carry cash? Besides, it would come in pretty handy for cashing checks.

Numerous homeless people have no other choice than to resort to panhandling rather than even making an attempt at finding employment. Much depends upon the area in which you are homeless. There are many areas in which it would be next to impossible to get a payroll check cashed- Areas in which the banks refuse to cash the checks of non-account holders, areas in which there are no check-cashing businesses, areas in which stores won't even cash payroll checks (unless a certain percentage of the checks are used for purchases from those stores).

What's more, I highly doubt that many employers will consider you if you don't have a phone number. So, what should people do? Look for a shelter that will allow them to use the shelter number? Fine. That's wonderful if people happen to be lucky enough to get interviews after the employers discover that they're homeless. Think employers don't discriminate against the homeless? Think again. Think they can't easily get away with it? Think again.

Despite popular opinion, having to beg each and every day for money/food is HARD WORK. Many (probably most) people are under the mistaken impression that panhandling is something done in leisure (as though these folks get to relax while laying on the side of the road with cups in their hands). The fact that so many people are of this opinion is one of the very reasons why begging is, as I said, HARD WORK. I'm talking about spending long sleepless days and nights outside in the elements, pleading with a cruel society to give you a bit of their loose change, being harassed by both citizens and the police, often times being extremely ill without a comfortable place to rest your head or medicine to feed your weary body, and having to continue begging regardless of all of the above (because not doing so could mean the difference between food in your belly and hunger pangs that make you feel like your stomach is being ripped apart).

A lot of homeless people do have jobs- And many of them panhandle by day and work by night (or vice versa). "If they work then why must they panhandle," you may ask. The answer is simple. They are working the jobs that many of you THINK U.S. citizens aren't willing to work- the jobs that pay a little more than $5 or $6 per hour (unless they're unlucky enough to find themselves waiting tables, a position which pays much less), the jobs that provide enough for them to pay the bus fare so that they can continue to search for better paying jobs (or at least a full time job), the jobs that provide enough for them to eat for a few days each week if they budget their money correctly, the jobs that either provide medical insurance that offers very little coverage or no insurance at all, the jobs that provide a new pair of shoes so they can continue to stand on the streets begging an unsympathetic public without getting blisters on their feet.

I have had the opportunity to hear several opinions regarding poverty and homelessness, some with which I completely agree and others that totally sicken me. I have heard some folks say, after they were made aware of "success stories", that "if one can do it then everyone can." This is false logic. The frightening reality of poverty and homelessness is that there are so many different factors involved... And, if we somehow managed to eliminate each and every one of those factors, new causes would likely emerge.

It's so easy to sit in your warm, cozy home and think, "There is plenty of help out there if people would just accept it." But people who think as such are making assumptions. They're believing stereotypes and media hype. And they're failing to take into account the fact that, like elastic, assistance can only stretch so far. Likewise, there are varying levels of assistance in all areas. In many areas, there is very little assistance available. And, even if someone is fortunate enough to qualify for some type of assistance, there is a process. People can't just waltz into a government department or a charitable organization and waltz back out with a residence, employment that will provide sufficient income to maintain a residence, and other necessities. For example- Someone applying for subsidized housing could be stuck on the waiting list for well over a year.

Many (if not most) of the assumptions that people make about homelessness are made in the spirit of hatred, prejudice, and intolerance and are the result of stereotypes, lack of knowledge regarding the subject, and being unaware of each individual's situation.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Homeless Bank Account

Answer 4

Shelters offer IDs , birth certificates, and SS card reissuing for free. The plural of homeless is homeless. You dont need an ID to sweep a bar or clean things for under the table cash. Illegal immigrants are getting by just fine. And why would a homeless person need a bank account?

Answer 5

First, they usually have to re-apply for a birth certificate. If they know their social security number, that helps - even if they don't have a copy. Shelters can help with this as well. There are ways of proving who you are (school records, etc.) that can be used...even though it IS a pain in the butt and may take a couple of months. After they have the birth certificate, they can apply for other things such as the social security card. A lot of times, it's helpful if they do so in a smaller town where they don't stick to the guidelines as much. Big cities tend to be really strict. Where I go, they don't even ask for proof of address or ANYTHING to get a driver's license as long as you were once in the system.

Also, they can use a shelter's address (usually) as their address and get mail there - so this helps.

Answer 6

With every day pass, our country is getting into more and more trouble. The inflation, unemployment and falling value of dollar are the main concern for our Government but authorities are just sleeping, they don’t want to face the fact. Media is also involve in it, they are force to stop showing the real economic situation to the people. I start getting more concern about my future as well as my family after watching the response of our Government for the people that affected by hurricane Katrina.

According to recent studies made by World Bank, the coming crisis will be far worse than initially predicted. So if you're already preparing for the crisis (or haven't started yet) make sure you watch this video at http://www.familysurvival.tv and discover the 4 BIG issues you'll have to deal with when the crisis hits, and how to solve them fast (before the disaster strikes your town!) without spending $1,000s on overrated items and useless survival books.

Answer 7

A homeless person could not get a bank account or house without proper identification.

Answer 8

Ileagal mexicans get jobs. homeless use someone else address

Answer 9

have the person go to the local med clinic and apply for CMSP. county medical services program. when the medical card comes. take them to social services and apply for assistance. they will help the person get identification, as well as, assistance finding a shelter that will accept mail for them establishing a place of residence. the whole process takes 6mo. to a year.
good luck

Answer 10

No they can't. I know Homeless vets who can't even get their benefits with id because they have no legal address...

Answer 11

It's a whole lot easier to have a green card and get these things.