What got me thinking about the topic of this article — the homeless and the unbanked in relation to their stimulus checks — was that I spent this morning filling out my taxes for 2019.

I did this because I’ve been more or less unemployed for a couple years now and as a result I’ve not brought in enough money to need to file a tax return. Naturally when I heard I should be getting a check from a stimulus package I was overwhelmed with excitement. I could use the money!

I was a little confused as to how they were going to get me the check though because I’ve moved several times since the last time I filed my taxes. After some quick digging I saw that they recommended filing for this year anyways because then you can have your debit account linked with the IRS and they’ll (theoretically) deposit it (at some point) directly.

Also since I’d moved several times since the last time I filed, I realized that even if I was willing to wait a while longer for a paper check to arrive, the IRS probably didn’t have my current address. So whatever, I had to file my taxes, big deal. It’s not like I’m doing anything in lockdown anyways.

But I have a really cynical, paranoid mind so I started to wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t filed. Where would the check have gone? Which old residence? Would any of them send it back and, if so, what would happen next?

These checks aren’t going to arrive for a while. Even the direct deposit pipedream is going to take several more weeks, at least. I now I’m hurting for the money right now and there are many, many people who are in much more dire situations than I am. How awful would it be if the check you needed ended up taking you until next tax season to finally track down and have re-issued so that you can finally pay your landlord? What if your landlord kicked you out before then?

And then it just sort of came to me: what about people who don’t have homes?

What about people who don’t have a PO box? What about people who don’t have a checking account?

These would be people who are already in the most dire of situations, who need this money — any money! any help! — more than anyone.

Sardonically, they’re also exactly the people who this system is designed to exclude. Not intentionally, I don’t believe that — I don’t think they devised this method of distributing the money specifically to exclude the homeless. I mean systemically in America our society is configured so that once you fail to have a few of the most basic things you’re no longer able to participate, and nobody really notices.

Two of those most basic things are a home and a bank account. If you don’t have those then you’re going to need to rely on someone paying you in cash and there is simply no way these stimulus checks are going to be distributed in paper bills, no matter how nicely anyone asks.

So yeah; this sucks, man.

There are a ton of people out there, at least here in Portland, who are already at extreme risk from poverty and homelessness and lack of medical care. Now we throw in a global pandemic?

Our neighbors experiencing homelessness always deserve our compassion and, when we can be bothered to spare it, our assistance. It’s just that it’s difficult and none of us think we can manage to foot the bill.

Well, good news! The government will give them $1,200 free and clear. Think of the enormous amount of good that can do for their lives! Everyone always says nobody’s just going to hand you a check but now it’s happening.

Except I’m not sure how they’re actually going to get their free money and that is a worrying thought.