The city plans to move residents from a sprawling homeless camp near downtown Dallas by early May, and the first step in transitioning them into housing or a temporary shelter is getting them identification.
Jonathan Grace walks through the homeless camp under Interstate 45 without hesitation.
"Howdy," he said to a couple chatting next to their tent.
Grace is a familiar face in the "Tent City."
"The IDs, birth certificates and Social Security cards that so many of us that are housed have easy access to, it's incredibly hard to get under here," said Grace. "In order to get certain documents you have to have other documents, and if you're starting from nothing it's incredibly difficult."
Case workers from the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, CitySquare, and other nonprofit advocacy groups have been working tirelessly to help residents obtain their vital records.
"If they went to school in Dallas they get their school records. If they've been to Parkland they get hospital records," Grace said.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Rebecca Cox, vice president of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, said some residents jump at the chance to get identification. Others hesitate, too afraid to face their past.
"About 70 percent of the folks we ask, 'Would you like us to help you get an ID? say, 'I can't, because of my criminal history,'" Cox said. "What they're talking about are tickets. They're afraid that they're going to get thrown in jail because of a ticket."
Case workers will often accompany their clients to court to advocate on their behalf. Clients with minor offenses can request a waiver from the Dallas County Community Courts to avoid punishment. Cox said it's a risk Tent City residents must take to get identification and ultimately receive housing.
"If you don't have ID in America you don't exist. You're here, you have no identifying documents, you don't have a person. You're a nameless homeless person in the crowd," Cox said.
Getting back on his feet is why Anthony Sommers, who has lived in Tent City for the last 18 months, got his ID two weeks ago. He said the process was stressful, but he was meticulous about his appointments and never missed one. He brimmed with pride, slapping his wallet against the palm of his hand repeatedly, shouting "I got my ID!"
"It makes you know that you are still part of society, and you don't have to be stuck in this rut," Sommers said. "I tell people, 'Go and get it while they're giving it to you.'"
Grace said the process of getting an official form of ID can take weeks, if not months, depending on the client. He said it puts even more pressure on caseworkers and clients to stay engaged, especially with the May 4 deadline approaching.
"They've had the promise of housing. They've had different organizations and institutions approach them before and it didn't work, so they don't have hope," he said. "When you don't have hope you make the best of your current situation and really try to stay away from the promise of something better. Inspiring hope that we will deliver and we will keep our promises is a huge part of our effort."
