Thousands line up, stampede to get on wait list for housing vouchers in Texas
By KIM HORNER
14 July 2011 Before the sun came out Thursday morning, thousands of people had gathered around the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex in the Red Bird area. The reward: a spot on a waiting list for Dallas County housing vouchers to help them pay the rent. When, at 6 a.m., officials said it was time to form a line, a frantic rush ensued — the latest sign of people’s desperation for help in tough times. There were no serious injuries, but video footage of the chaos received national attention. “Once they said we could go on the property, it was a stampede, a circus,” said Adelia Frierson, a 24-year-old single mother applying for the federally funded assistance. Zachary Thompson, the county’s director of health and human services, said the turnout once again demonstrates the need for the Housing Choice Vouchers, also known as Section 8. By the end of the day, about 5,000 households had applied. Applicants for the housing vouchers are not required to live in Dallas County. The hard-to-get vouchers pay a portion of the rent based on household income. This was the first time Dallas County had opened its waiting list since 2006, and applicants may have to wait at least two years to actually receive vouchers. The Dallas Housing Authority and the city of Plano each saw similar responses from the public in May when they took applications for the first time in years. “A lot of times people are shocked there are so many people who are low income and need assistance,” Thompson said. “That’s just the reality of the economy we are living in.” More than 21,000 applied with DHA, mostly online, for 5,000 spots on a waiting list. DHA had not accepted applications since 2006. In Plano, 8,000 people applied for 100 available vouchers. DHA and Plano accepted most of their applications online to avoid crowds, but they faced technical problems with the process. Crowd control issues have been a problem in many places, including Atlanta in August, when 62 were injured. […]
Thousands line up, stampede to get on wait list for housing vouchers in Dallas County
Looking at the picture I am struck that there appears to be a large number of obese females of color, one who appears to be on a cell phone. This is the legacy of President Johnsons' War on Poverty – multi-generational welfare recipients who birth children that are the unintended product of their sexual activity. Just as we license drivers, we need to license parents. If the results of anothers sexual activity will become the financial responsibililty of others – then those who must bear the financial responsibility must have a say as to whether or not they can bear chldren. In the coming financial collapse and fight for resources – these people have no future.