In my state, Pennsylvania, it is my understanding that the homeless are not allowed to drive or even to receive mail, because a mailbox cannot be used for the address on their driver's license, and they cannot get a mailbox, neither from the Post Office nor from a reputable mailbox rental business, without already having an address which they can prove is their residence. Therefore, unless the rules are different in his state, he is not allowed to drive, and if that's the case, then: How can he be a lawful resident?
"In my state, Pennsylvania, it is my understanding that the homeless are not allowed to drive or even to receive mail, because a mailbox cannot be used for the address on their driver's license"
I'm certain you're wrong about both of these assertions, in PA or any other US state. There are federal laws at play, and both of these limitations on homeless people would definitely cross the bounds of federal law. Also, they would be incredibly evil; pretty much designed to keep homeless people homeless.
Mail can be received, by anyone, via general delivery at any post office main branch in a city, and often several other branches, if the city is large. Mail is damned near a constitutional right (federal mail service is one of the few services explicitly permitted by the constitution).
A drivers license is somewhat trickier, since some states do require one to have a "permanent residence" within the state, and don't allow general delivery for that purpose, and some don't even allow PO boxes, though most do. But, Mailboxes Etc. and the like are generally acceptable for this purpose (I use a mail forwarding service for my mailing address for all legal correspondence, including drivers license and taxes). Incoming mail is also one of the services that homeless shelters sometimes provide to their clients, as part of the process of helping them out of homelessness (if you can't drive or get mail in a shithole like rural Pennsylvania, you're SOL when it comes to finding a job, and getting your life back in order). I'll also mention that the federal government, and many states, consider a description of your boat or motorhome as an acceptable "permanent residence" address, as long as a mailing address is also provided.
"Therefore, unless the rules are different in his state, he is not allowed to drive, and if that's the case, then: How can he be a lawful resident?"
So, you reckon I'm an outlaw, flaunting convention and decency?
My residence state is Texas. One of the reasons for that is that it has very relaxed rules about residency, making it more convenient than many states...a forwarding address works fine for all government purposes in Texas. Most states actually want to claim you as a resident, rather than trying to prevent you from becoming one. California, for example, is still trying to convince me to pay income taxes there, even though I haven't been back in a year.
If you google "rv full-timer domicile state" you'll find tons of discussion of the best states for full-timers (South Dakota, Texas, Florida, Wyoming), based on various taxes, convenience and costs of renewing and maintaining licenses and registrations, insurance costs, etc. I chose Texas because I lived there for seventeen years, and I spend two or three months a year there (more than any other state), so Texas is the devil I know and it's ethically probably the one I should be voting in and paying taxes in. But, I considered all the others, and if Texas proves to be ornery for any reason, I won't hesitate to "move" to South Dakota or Florida.
Thank you for the detailed reply. However, I am still fairly sure, although not 100% certain, that homeless people, technically, cannot have a valid driver's license, cannot receive mail, and they cannot, legally, do other, assorted, connected things, such as: have a bank account, own Internet domains, hold a passport, vote, or travel (via Amtrak and Greyhound). There is a big difference between the lofty ideals of our federal constitution and the practical nature of daily reality. Cities and states regularly get away with lots of anti-constitutional behavior, particularly against the homeless, partly because that segment of the population isn't represented by powerful lobbyists.
I am homeless, and so, my original comment was not merely hypothetical. I live in Philadelphia, which is, according to Wikipedia, the fifth most-populous city in the United States. Texas sounds rather laid back, but that's not the way it is here. Every day, I feel as if I am "an outlaw, flaunting convention and decency" because not having what's considered a "legal" residence is generally seen as a major indicator of there being something seriously wrong with me. Lacking a fixed address should not effectively make me a criminal.
You mention MBE. I just went to their website, and the first thing that catches my attention is a news item [1] stating that I need to show ID to send a package, via UPS, from an MBE location, unless I already have a shipping label prepared from an existing UPS account. On a related note, this reminds me that FedEx here doesn't take cash. Anyway, there doesn't seem to be an MBE in Philadelphia, but other mailbox places that I have come across all require ID [2] and most require me to fill out a form [3] which tells the Post Office that the mailbox provider has my authorization to handle my mail. It is impossible for me to (honestly, legally, or however you want to put it) fill out that form. Also, even if I could, somehow, get a mailbox, it would create yet another red flag on my credit reports, because the credit agencies mark, as suspicious, any address which receives mail for many different people.
You often can use a homeless shelter as the legal address for many of the purposes that you state in your above reply, such as getting drivers' licenses, etc. (I'm an attorney who volunteered on behalf of homeless clients in Washington, DC. Check your local area to see if there is a legal clinic for homeless clients that might be able to help you.)
It sounds like PA is one of the worst states for basic human rights, like the freedom to travel. Who knew? That said, I suspect there is some way to obtain a drivers license. You may have to have it mailed to a friend or family member. But, the right to leave is a basic human right, so, there must be some way to obtain a license without having a home. This homeless law blog discusses some possibilities; it's not specific to PA, but it seems likely there is some mechanism for obtaining a legal license: http://homelesslaw.wordpress.com/#comment-1496 (I also found a few state and county agencies in PA with mention of drivers licenses and other licenses, though no specific documentation on how to obtain one; I guess calling or emailing would be the way to find out).
I'm not an expert on PA regulations, but I do know that I was able to do everything I needed without a permanent address, including getting a passport, drivers license, car insurance (GEICO offers a special insurance class just for RV full-timers, which is a blend of homeowners and auto insurance), and the postal forms needed for mail forwarding services.
And, one more thing:
"Also, even if I could, somehow, get a mailbox, it would create yet another red flag on my credit reports, because the credit agencies mark, as suspicious, any address which receives mail for many different people."
This is definitely not true. Credit card payments might get flagged if the billing address is a forwarding service (though it has not been the case for me; I've had trouble ordering items shipped to addresses other than my billing address, but I've never had a payment refused because the billing address was a forwarding service), but your credit report will, in no way, be effected by using such a service. I promise you it will not "red flag" your credit reports.
It sounds like you've had a bad run of luck, and it's gotten you feeling like a victim on all fronts. It's understandable. I feel beaten down by bureaucracy sometimes, too. But, you do have some fundamental rights in the US, regardless of whether you have a home or not. Get the ID thing sorted, and everything else will start to fall into place. If PA won't help you get that sorted, raise hell until someone does help you; contact your local state representative or city mayors office or write a letter to the head of the DMV or the local newspaper. You have a right to have an identity. You can't possibly get out of homelessness without one.
