Non-Resident Applications Made to the Shawnee County Social Welfare Board, Topeka, Kansas, January 1, 1959 through June 30, 1959

Abstract

From the data collected on the non-resident needy person in this study, his image begins to take on the appearance of a former Kansan, or one related to Kansas, returning to home and family, relatives or friends, rather than the stereotyped image of a complete stranger, wandering throughout the country looking for a handout. The primary purpose of residence laws has for centuries been to protect the tax resources of the local community by restricting public assistance funds to the communities “own” – those persons who have resided in a particular geographical area for a specified period of time. A secondary goal has been to discourage irresponsible and aimless wandering. The data in this study refutes the legitimacy of those purposes that have repeatedly and forcibly stated by those that advocate residence requirements. The high proportion of applicants who had family ties in Kansas and the number who were being helped by relatives by living in the homes of relatives, present a picture of family cohesion and connection that is not in keeping with the views of many regarding the family of today that is looked upon as with little capacity to extend a helping hand to its members in times of difficulty. It appears that a familiar place and the presence of relatives in time of need was a refuge to many of those non-resident persons in this study, and that they were not moving for the sake of moving. With the present-day value placed on the family as an institution, it appears that society should approve and attempt to preserve and strengthen this positive factor, however, residence requirements disregard the worth of this social value.

The findings in this study substantiate the fact that there are fallacies in residency requirements. Many public and private social welfare agencies have long advocated the elimination of the residence requirements in the public assistance programs. Residence laws in our present day are outmoded and do not serve the purpose they were intended five or six centuries ago. They are punitive, inhuman and are contrary to our philosophy of a democratic way of life, depriving the non-resident person opportunity for freedom and the right to self-determination. While this final conclusion is not novel, it is one that can be supported by the data of this study.