People experiencing homelessness can access the latest Covid-19 Relief Federal Stimulus of $1,400 per adult and $1,400 per child. These direct payments to households are called economic impact payments, or EIPs. EIPs will not be taxable or be required to pay back.
For a detailed list of Frequently Asked Questions and answers about the EIP, visit: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment-frequently-asked-questions#usinggmp.
If you are unhoused, have no address, no bank account, or normally do not file taxes, you can take steps to receive an EIP. Here are ways that people who are unhoused can receive their payments.
If you do not normally file taxes: Go to the IRS online portal at https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/#/fd and provide the following information:
- An email address
- A phone number
- Social Security Number for adults and children in your household
- A mailing address
It is free to place your information in the online IRS portal. Doing this step is not the same as filing taxes. It is only a way to tell the IRS who you are and that you are eligible for a stimulus.
It can be hard for someone without a home to gather this information. Here are tips to help:
Email: You can create a free email through Gmail or Yahoo
Computer: You can access a computer at CVAB’s Val Ogden Center, located at 10201 NE Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver, 98662. Their computer lab is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm. Call 360-253-4036. The CVAB REACH Center also has a computer lab. They are located at 1601 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver, 98661 and are open Monday through Friday, 9am-7pm for people identifying as being in recovery. A short orientation is required at the REACH Center. Call 360-397-8050. There is a one-hour time limit per person, per day at each location.
Phone number: You can use the phone number of a trusted friend or relative. Or, use Google Voice and set-up a free message line for anyone to call.
Mailing address: In Clark County, adults can use the Navigation Center address, 2018 Grand Blvd, Vancouver WA 98661. It is currently open to pick-up mail Tuesday and Thursdays 10am-12noon. Youth ages 18-24 can use the PERCH to receive mail through Janus Youth by calling 360-314-5716.
Will my stimulus come to me as a check or a debit card or be put into my bank account?
The IRS can issue an EIP debit card for people without a bank account. The EIP Card is a debit card sent by the U.S. Mail in a white envelope with the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal and a return address from “Economic Impact Payment Card.” The card has the Visa name on the front and the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A., on the back. Information included with the EIP Card explains that this is your Economic Impact Payment. If you receive an EIP Card, visit EIPcard.com for more information.
If you would like help arranging for an EIP card, you can go to any H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt office. Find locations online and call ahead for an appointment. They will charge a fee ranging from $48 and up for this help.
If you don’t have a bank account and want one, some banks and credit unions, including iQ Credit Union and People’s Community Credit Union, offer a no-fee/no-minimum balance bank account. The EIP returns are being filed by the IRS by hand so a slow response time is likely.
It’s important that people experiencing homelessness have the same access to government benefits as everyone else. Stimulus funds can go a long way to help people move from homelessness to housing, get basic needs met, and even pay off debt. At CFTH, we are hopeful that this information will help people navigate the process of accessing the benefits to which they are entitled. Clark County is fortunate to have many helpers, and together, we can make sure everyone impacted by the health and economic effects of COVID-19 receives the help they need.