Chaos after hundreds turned away from housing assistance

[sixmile]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/fort_lauderdale/sfl-flbhousing0222sbfeb22,0,4560185.story
Thousands try to apply; police shut down line
'Thousands of people seeking government-subsidized housing packed the street Saturday morning in front of the Robert P. Kelly Housing Authority building until police shut down the line because the crowd had grown unmanageable.

Officials estimated that 4,500 people were waiting in line at 8 a.m. when the Housing Authority of Fort Lauderdale began distributing the 3,000 available applications for Section 8 housing, a federal program that provides rent subsidies to landlords to help low-income people find affordable housing.'

snip

'Applicants were told specifically in fliers and ads not to arrive before 7 a.m. Saturday, said Tam English, executive director of the Housing Authority. But the number of people who showed up after dark Friday grew out of control, he said.

Police said they cordoned off the entire block early Saturday morning with barricades to organize the crowd, which included children and elderly in wheelchairs.'

snip

'"It was crazy here, just so unorganized," said Karen, a single mother from Pompano Beach, who declined to give her last name because she didn't want people to know she was seeking government assistance.

Karen said she saw one woman buy an application from someone for $10. "I would've given $50 for that," she said.'

[L0oniX]

1. Damn unmanageable & unorganized poor people in wheel chairs ...how dare they be that way?

Your sociopath police and government at work again.

[sixmile]

2. Not sure it was the disabled who were causing problems

Or the cops or the government employees. They may have 'misunderestimated' the demand but down here we live a couple houses past crazy.

[Spangle]

3. $400 for a 10x10 room

I kid you not. My daughter lives down there. She rented a 10X10 room for $400 a month. The best deal she could find. Her landlord made such rooms out of his home. OH, and that included the kitchen and bathroom space.

Any wonder why they were fighting for apps!

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. millions of empty foreclosures and people have to riot for afforable housing.

doesn't make sense.