There were people seeking applications who said they were from the Racine area, but also several who said they were from Illinois and Kenosha County. Ring Weber explained people can apply from outside of Racine County, but they would have to move to Racine County to receive the voucher.

There were also posts online of people trying to sell applications. But Ring Weber said it would be pointless for someone to buy an application because an applicant cannot get a place in the waiting list until they come in and drop the application off. Also the applications that have already been handed out are not numbered.

How the program works

The federally funded housing authority currently provides rent assistance to about 1,550 Racine County families, totaling $7.5 million annually, she said. The average amount each family receives is $450 per month, with amounts ranging from roughly $80 to $800 depending on income and family size.

To be eligible for the assistance, people need to make 50 percent of the county’s median income or less. That would be $24,000 or less for a single person living alone and $34,300 or less for a family of four, Ring Weber said.

About the chaos