The Exclusive Nature of Needing Proof of Address

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Approximately 26 states in the U.S. require proof of address in order to receive a state-issued ID. This requirement leads to many people without stable home addresses or the ability to afford the upkeep of a P.O. box from their local mail carrier unable to receive state IDs. From one proof of address problem, a person could potentially be denied the ability to vote, to drive, to receive federal aid, or to enter any area with an age requirement.

While Oregon is not one of those 26 states, an ID isn't the only thing that proof of address can bar homeless people from.

Most U.S. banks are mandated by federal law to require proof of address to let someone open a bank account with them. Without a bank account, many jobs will overlook a person without a second thought. Housing, even temporary housing, won't rent to a person without a bank account or a source of income. It’s a bit of a vicious cycle.

Many government interactions also require proof of address, such as registering to vote and applying for certain types of government aid (food stamps, unemployment, etc). While many states don’t require an ID for these things, they still need an address and are likely to be much more strict about what counts as an ‘acceptable’ address type—they won't accept a P.O. box address and some states won’t even accept homeless shelter addresses.

Even something as small and simple as getting a library card can require proof of address.

The sheer number of things that we may not even think about that require proof of address can create unnecessary barriers for homeless people to live normal lives and have access to the same resources as people with stable housing. While we may not need to remove proof of address entirely, giving homeless people alternative ways of proving identity would remove these barriers and give them more of a chance.


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