Explanation
The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Community Development for All People for its ID for All People Program.
Millions of Americans do not have the proper forms of identification to access life’s necessities. Lack of ID, such as birth certificates, state identification cards and driver’s licenses, and social security cards jeopardizes access to employment, housing, food, healthcare, banking, education, voting, and even poses a barrier to accessing the Covid-vaccine.
Lack of ID is most pronounced among seniors, people of color, domestic violence survivors, and those who are homeless, returning from incarceration, or living in poverty. These populations are also less likely to be able to afford access to the forms of identification they need. That is, residents’ financial constraints prevent them from obtaining documents that are themselves necessary for access to economic security.
Community Development for All people began a program in 2019 to remove the financial barrier standing between residents on the South Side and the identification they need by providing bus passes and vouchers for residents to receive their Ohio state IDs, driver’s licenses, and birth certificates. During a pilot funded in part by Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown in that same year, the program demonstrated it was helping residents access resources that are the basis of economic wellbeing: 29 percent of participants utilized the program for employment, 21 percent for housing, 17 percent for their children, and 10 percent to be able to access social services.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Neighborhood Initiatives subfund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in supporting the Community Development for All People which helps those living in poverty meet some of their essential needs.
Title
To authorize the Columbus City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement wit...
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