What Depression? "the crowd for housing aid numbered 30,000, some of whom waited for two days"

30,000 line up for housing vouchers, some get rowdy

By Mike Morris and Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

3:25 p.m. Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Tens of thousands of people lined up at an East Point shopping center hoping to get federal housing assistance became unruly Wednesday morning with reports of fights breaking out in the crowd.

An East Point police spokesman said the crowd numbered 30,000, some of whom waited for two days at the Tri-Cities Plaza shopping center. They were seeking applications for East Point Housing Authority vouchers to discount their rent.

As the temperature rose Wednesday, people fell ill.

Sgt. Cliff Chandler, spokesman for the East Point Police Department, said there were no reported injuries from the jostling, but 62 people had to be treated for heat or health-related problems. He said 42 people were treated at the shopping center but 20 had to be taken to nearby hospitals. A toddler was treated earlier in the morning for "some type of seizure," Chandler said.

"A lot of it was heat and some was health-related issues" such people not taking their medications, Chandler said.

By the time everyone had left around 2 p.m., the temperature had climbed into the low 90s.

People began lining up two days ago, and by Wednesday morning the crowd had grown to around 30,000 people. East Point police, some wearing riot helmets, were patrolling the area. Firefighters and EMTs were attending to people who were overheating in the sun. Police from College Park, Hapeville, Fulton County and MARTA assisted in crowd control.

Chandler said there were no arrests.

Felecia McGhee told the AJC she arrived around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. She said the major problem began when people started breaking into the line and then officials handing out applications started moving those areas and those line breakers. She said she saw at least two small children trampled when the crowd rushed the building where the applications were to be handed out.

"It's a real mess out here," she said.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Mike Petchenik said fights were breaking out and police had to stop people who were storming the door.

Channel 2 reporter Tom Jones said, "There are thousands, I mean, thousands of people here. I've seen people fall out from the heat."

By late morning the crowd had thinned considerably and people were walking up and getting their applications without delay. But just before the 1 p.m. deadline, a line of about 200 people had formed. Shortly after 1 p.m., several people ran across the parking lot to get in line but were told by police that the line was closed.

Emergency personnel brought in a pickup truck full of bottled water and were handing it out to the crowd.

A sign on the door of the office explained that only applications were being handed out.

"The housing authority will be issuing applications Wednesday, August 11, starting at 9 a.m. Everyone in line by 1 p.m. on the 11th will receive an application. ... No Section 8 vouchers are available at this time. There are no public housing units available at this time. You're applying for the waiting list only."

The Housing Choice Voucher Program, called Section 8, subsidized the rents of low-income families living in apartments and houses that are privately owned. The federal program makes up the difference in rent that the poor can afford and the fair market value for each area.

The federal government has specific standards for its subsidized properties but at the same time landlords are assured an income.

Only families with incomes no more than half the median income for the area qualify. The median income for the East Point area is less than $32,000, according to Census data. It is up to the renter to find a place that meets HUD standards, which includes being 90 percent to 110 percent of the "local fair market rent."

I wonder how these folks feel about govt unfunded liabilities for pensions for public workers' unions?

About state workers in California whose pay and pensions make that state broke and judges who prevent the governor from taking emergency temporary corrective action which might make it possible for the state to act in situations where people cannot afford housing?

I wonder how these folks feel about further bank bail outs guaranteed by the govt to protect the imbeciles and greedy ANTI-CAPITALIST cretins at Goldman Sachs, and the morons at Bear Stearns now absorbed into other protected institutions?

I wonder if Obama realizes what this crowd portends for November?

The color of homeless people looking for those who can improve their situation inside a voting booth - I ASSURE YOU - DOES NOT MATTER.

Only jobs matter.

Another set of checks merely stave off the inevitable.

These people know it

There is a BITTER November coming