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Report on the Community ID Program Plan and Recognizing Branches, Inc., as Program Administrator for a Community ID Program in Miami-Dade County � Directive 211432

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Date: December 10, 2021 To: Honorable Chairman Jose �Pepe� Diaz
and Members, Board of County Commissioners From: Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor
Subject: Report on the Community ID Program Plan and Recognizing Branches, Inc., as Program Administrator for a Community ID Program in Miami-Dade County � Directive 211432

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
This report is being provided pursuant to Resolution No. R-569-21, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners (Board) at its June 2, 2021 meeting and establishing as its policy that County residents should be allowed to use County-approved Community IDs as an acceptable form of identification for services within Miami-Dade County Government, wherever accepted. This Resolution further directed the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to identify all County services where it is practicable for a County-approved Community ID to be utilized as an acceptable form of identification, develop a plan for the acceptance of a County-approved Community ID at all such-identified County services in accordance with the �Municipal ID Card Program Best Practices� outlined in the County Mayor�s report in response to Resolution No. R-738-15, using legally available funding sources and following Board approval, and implement such plan as soon as practicable.

The plan outlined below will provide: (1) applicable standards or requirements that a Community ID would need to meet relating to card design and security, acceptable documents for proof of residency and proof of identity, privacy protections, fees that can be charged by the community-based organization or other qualified third-party entity, and information included on the Community ID; (2) selection of a community-based organization or one or more qualified third-party entities that are willing to administer a Community ID on a County-wide basis that would meet the applicable standards or requirements described above and serve as a model for how a Community ID can be implemented in the County; (3) assistance to the selected community-based organization or third party entities in identifying and obtaining potential grant funding to assist in the administration of the Community ID program; (4) a procedure for obtaining County approval for a Community ID for use as an acceptable form of identification for various County services upon meeting the applicable standards or requirements described above; (5) methods to promote the use of the Community ID in Miami-Dade County including providing encouragement to municipalities and local businesses to accept a �Community ID� as an acceptable form of identification in all circumstances where it would be appropriate; (6) a listing of the relevant County services where a Community ID would be an accepted form of identification and a listing of relevant County services where it would not be an accepted form of identification; and (7) an analysis as to whether there can be any possible stigma associated with such a Community ID and, if so, a description of any efforts that will be undertaken to address it.

Community ID Program Administrator
Through discussions with several community-based organizations, Branches, Inc. (Branches), a not-for-profit organization, is recognized as the organization that will issue Community IDs in Miami-Dade County. Branches has the capacity, is eager to establish the program, and has a long history of providing services to vulnerable populations in Miami-Dade County. Examples include student enrichment services, financial wellness services, and emergency and disaster response services. Additionally, it is an organization that is known to Miami-Dade County with a good track record in managing community-based organization grant funding received in areas such as small business development and financial literacy. Branches is also known for its work managing the Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. This program is branded as the Miami Tax Pros coalition and includes nearly two dozen local organizations and institutions. VITA is a program that has a close nexus to Community IDs in assisting residents who have limited knowledge and documentation with filing tax returns and applying for Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITIN). Branches has a strong understanding of Community IDs and how this resource can assist a variety of vulnerable populations in our County, including: unhoused persons, domestic abuse survivors, veterans, undocumented immigrants, seniors, and LGTBQ individuals. This organization�s thorough understanding of the various community groups in the County, years of experience in helping the community, and emphasis on non-discrimination and inclusivity make them a fitting organization to successfully run a Community ID program.

Funding
The FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget for Miami-Dade County includes $200,000 for support of a Community ID Program. Branches has submitted a proposed budget estimate of $250,000 for FY 2021-22 to launch the program, including staffing, equipment costs, and program marketing. To assist with funding support for a Community ID Program, the County will recommend allocation of the aforementioned $200,000 to the Miami Foundation to establish a fund to support the Community ID Program in Miami-Dade County. The Miami Foundation has a long track record of supporting community initiatives and is uniquely positioned to leverage their work to enhance and support this program. A recent Miami Foundation initiative is LaborMiami.org, which focuses on solving inequalities in the labor market through programming, data, and wrap around services that often times require forma identification. The Miami Foundation also has an expanded network of community organizations it partners with and has various other initiatives that align with Community IDs. Branches has over 20 years of experience working with the Miami Foundation and the Foundation�s support can assist with private and grant fundraising opportunities to assist with budget shortfalls. Additionally, consistent with the programs in Broward and Palm Beach, Branches will likely charge a $10 to $20 fee for the card to further offset program costs and budget shortfalls, but will also provide Community IDs at no cost to individuals for whom the cost would be prohibitive. Miami-Dade County will continue to work with the Miami Foundation, Branches, and other organizations in identifying future year grant funding and/or private fundraising that could help build longer-term sustainability to support program operations.

County Services
Attachment 1 includes a listing of County services that have been identified for acceptance of a Community ID. This listing was compiled via a survey of all County Departments to identify services where a Community ID can be accepted, meaning that the service is fully under the purview of the County and a government-issued identification is not required. Examples include services such as obtaining various Transit EASY cards, connecting residences to Water & Sewer meters, access to Library materials, adopting a pet, and services at parks which fall entirely under the purview of Miami-Dade County. Alternatively, services such as registering to vote, travel through our airport and seaport, police department background checks, and automobile tags and vehicle registrations are examples of services where a government-issued identification is required, and a Community ID could not be accepted. This listing will continue to be evolve as familiarity with and understanding of Community IDs grows.

General Information
Community IDs are photo identification cards issued, in many cases, by a nonprofit entity that enable users to obtain various services in the community. In Miami-Dade County, many residents do not have access to identification and may find it challenging to prove they live in a certain county. Often times, these are vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals including: elderly people, formerly incarcerated persons, foster youth, unhoused individuals, survivors of domestic violence, transgender persons, and immigrants lacking proper documentation. Having an identification card that provides proof of residency could assist residents in obtaining access to county, municipal, school, and health system services. The IDs can grant the ability to reserve government facilities (park pavilions, tennis courts), allows them access to return to their homes following a natural disaster (such as a hurricane or fire), and provide access to life-saving tests and vaccines, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown.

Issuance of IDs
Branches, as the Program Administrator, plans to partner with the FaithAction ID Network (FaithAction) for training and to incorporate best practices into the program serving Miami-Dade County. FaithAction is a collection of nonprofit organizations, faith communities, and community groups offering Community IDs in North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Iowa, South Carolina, and Oregon. FaithAction has been providing Community IDs for the last eight years and provides training and guidance on running a Community ID program. Both Broward and Palm Beach Community ID programs are part of FaithAction and are managed by their county�s respective Legal Aid Society. Branches will model their process for obtaining a Community ID on the Broward and Palm Beach programs.

Community ID events are generally done through scheduled events that are regularly held at locations convenient for the community (libraries, churches, community centers). At these events, those interested in a Community ID participate in an informational presentation on what the Community ID cards can and cannot be used for. Police and other community agencies are invited to these events to help address questions and help build relationships within the community. Following the presentation, individuals traditionally meet with a lawyer and/or paralegal who has been trained on how to authenticate documents needed to validate the individual�s identity and proof of residence. Only original documents can be presented. If the individual has provided sufficient documentation, then they sign a contract attesting that they understand the limitations of the Community ID card, and they have their picture taken. The card is created off site and mailed to the individual�s residence (P.O. Boxes are not allowed). In addition to opportunities to obtain Community IDs at sign-up events, Branches also anticipates providing one-on-one and other sign-up opportunities throughout the community.


Community ID Card Standards and Requirements
Following the recommendations of Broward and Palm Beach�s programs, Branches has identified a list of acceptable documents (Attachment 2) for an individual to obtain their Community ID card, as well as card security features that will be utilized for the Community ID cards. Original documents will need to be physically presented to legal staff at their Community ID events. Branches anticipates utilizing the card-printing technology of AlphaCard, which is the same vendor recommended by the FaithAction Network and utilized in Broward and Palm Beach for their Community ID Programs. AlphaCard is also the vendor utilized for printing Miami-Dade County�s employee ID cards. In working with our Miami-Dade Police Department, various card security features are recommended and will be used in the Community IDs to help prevent identity theft and fraud, such as:

* Watermarks to prevent duplication and provide for proper authentication;
* Non-white background to prevent alteration of letters and numbers on the ID;
* Different-size fonts. This will assist in seeing and determining changes; therefore, preventing the falsifying of IDs;
* Not including Social Security Numbers; and
* Coded format (Have the digits of their ID number represent something. For example: ID#DOM657484�� First three letters is the beginning of individual�s last name, first two digits means the year they were born, �1965,� and last four digits their address.)

Branches will provide the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) with the security features of their Community IDs to help prevent fraud and abuse. No cardholder�s personal information will be shared with MDPD. It is understood that the Community ID is not a government-issued identification. To ensure there is no confusion, the Community ID in Miami-Dade will not include County branding (i.e., logo or seal). It will include a photo of the individual, name, date of birth, address, gender, and an additional option for a preferred gender. It is anticipated that the Community ID will expire after two years and need to be renewed following the process previously described.

MDPD supports Community IDs in the County and recognizes that many individuals do not have the documents needed to obtain a state-issued ID which leaves them without identification. These Community IDs provide greater assistance in identifying individuals and increased access to some County services for residents in our community.

Promotion of the Community ID Program
In conjunction with the acceptance of this report and implementation of the Community ID Program, the County will help promote the program through our website, social media channels, and placement of informational materials at County and other facilities throughout Miami-Dade. This assistance may also include support through hosting Community ID events at County facilities to ensure appropriate venues are available to reach residents throughout Miami-Dade County. Additionally, I will be committed to requesting other municipalities and governmental entities throughout the County to pass legislation recognizing the Community ID Program to allow for participation in their programs and services and encouraging local businesses to accept the Community ID where possible.

Should you require additional information, please contact Ray Baker, Director, Miami-Dade Public Library System, at [email protected] or (305) 375-5026.

Per Ordinance No. 14-65, this report shall be placed on the next available Board meeting agenda.

c: Geri Bonzon-Keenan, County Attorney
Gerald Sanchez, First Assistant County Attorney
Jess McCarty, Executive Assistant County Attorney
Office of the Mayor Senior Staff
Department Directors
Yinka Majekodunmi, Commission Auditor
Jennifer Moon, Chief, Office of Policy and Budgetary Affairs
Melissa Adames, Director, Clerk of the Board
Eugene Love, Agenda Coordinator

Honorable Chairman Joe A. Martinez
and Members, Board of County Commissioners
Extension of the term of the Expedited Purchasing Program (EPP)
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Honorable Chairman Jose �Pepe� Diaz
and Members, Board of County Commissioners
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