HARTFORD -- On Monday, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin unveiled the city's new ID card program.
The program is designed to offer identification to any city resident, regardless of immigration status. The ID cards are also meant to help those who are homeless or recently incarcerated.
"Today we're sending a powerful message and making a powerful tool available," said Mayor Bronin.
The program comes at no cost to the city. The cost of the card pays for the program.
"There are many individuals and many families -- undocumented and documented, non-citizens and citizens -- who will benefit," said Bronin.
One Hartford resident said this will be a big help to her. She's a single mother from Peru who has had additional struggles without an ID, including a rental application being turned down.
Hartford's program comes 11 years after New Haven debuted its own resident card program in 2006, making it the first in the country. Unlike New Haven's program, which requires two proofs of residency, Hartford's only requires one, which can be written verification issued by a homeless shelter. Hartford's program is designed to help those who are homeless or recently released from prison.
"This can be a way out of homelessness," said Matt Morgan, Executive Director of Journey Home.
Morgan said there are roughly 700 people living homeless in Hartford at any given time. Many do not have any form of identification, making it difficult for them to obtain housing. "I am really optimistic that this program will expedite how fast people can get an ID and therefore, also how fast some of them can get into an apartment," said Morgan.
Applications for ID cards can be obtained at the main branch of the Hartford Public Library at 500 Main Street on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. or Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They are also available at the Office of Town & City Clerk in Hartford City Hall by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on the cards, click here: http://hartford.gov/hartfordcityid