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Thousands of people applied for a public housing waitlist to find system overloaded

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Housing Authority opened its application to be waitlisted, and already, 10,000 people have been added to the prescreening for affordable housing.

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Even with that, some people weren’t able to get through.

People like Sharnise Wilson, who got up at midnight to apply.

“I have eight kids,” Wilson said. “And so, I have, like, within 90 days to leave this apartment.”

Read: Orlando opens public housing program waiting list

But says she still can’t get through. She told 9 Investigates that she had waited hours.

“So let’s see...as we’re talking right now, if you have been applying for 12 hours in the afternoon. and you’re still not with an application?” Shannon Butler asked.

“No, ma’am, no application has been put in,” Wilson said.

Her emails to Channel 9 show that she was told to call the Housing Authority every time she applied, which she said she did repeatedly.

Read: Orlando Housing Authority to open public housing waiting list

“I’ve even sent out emails, sent screenshots,” Wilson said. “My attempts just haven’t been able to get in. No one can assist me.”

In an email from the Housing Authority that she shared with Channel 9, someone at the department told her that earlier today, the system was overloaded.

Channel 9 contacted the Orlando Housing Authority today, too. On the phone this morning, we were told there was an issue, but they did not give us details but transferred us to a voicemail.

Read: Sanford Housing Authority celebrates opening of new affordable housing complex

This afternoon, a spokesperson told us that more than 10,000 applications have been received so far, but we don’t know how many people may not have been able to sign up yet.

But we are told to be patient.

If you are still waiting to apply, that will not put you at the bottom of the list.

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Shannon Butler

Shannon Butler, WFTV.com

Shannon joined the Eyewitness News team in 2013.

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