MONTICELLO, N.Y. -- Hundreds lined up in Monticello Monday to apply for the Section 8 waiting list, some showing up overnight to get a spot in line.
“We opened up our waiting list and today was the day where would accept completed applications," said Anne Cahill Johansen, Monticello Housing Authority Executive Director. "And apparently people showed up on property very early this morning.”
According to residents of the Evergreen Apartments, some showed up as early as 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Many hoped to be placed nearly the top of the Section 8 waiting list. The program provides rental assistance to those in need.
“We were expecting a lot of people, but we were not expecting they would show up during the night,” Cahill Johansen said.
This was the first time in five years the waiting list had open, which is one reason for the sudden influx.
“We were running low on people that were on our waiting list that were within the community of Sullivan County, so we decided it was time,” said Judy Kehrley, Section 8 Program Coordinator.
But many residents of this apartment complex were not happy with how the process went.
“I woke up at four o'clock to see this place as crowded with so many people. It was really ridiculous,” said Elaine Williams, an Evergreen resident.
With hundreds on site, many say parking and just getting in and out of the complex was an issue.
“You don’t come in people’s neighborhoods and do this, you just don’t,” Williams said.
“The buses were not late and the garbage trucks were able to come through,” Cahill Johansen said.
Even with the large influx of people, the housing authority say they were ready for opening day.
“You can’t plan for every single contingence that you might encounter, but we try to prepare and plan for and coordinate for as many as we could,” Kehrley said.
As for the application, the Housing Authority says anyone can apply to be on the waiting list, including those that live outside Sullivan County.
“They have to remain in contact with us to remain on the list, until the time they come to the top of the list where we would start to verify the fact that they're eligible to receive the assistance,” Kehrley said.
Applications for the Section 8 waiting list will continue to be accepted over the next couple of weeks.