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Why bring these people out like cattle? I’m sure there were many on the housing authority internal list that could have filled these slots.

I don't know the situation there in Georgia, but I can tell you this, having worked for a housing authority before: there are usually fairly long waiting lists for both Public Housing and Section 8 vouchers, and normally a person is put on the waiting list in the order they filed an application. However, sometimes a waiting list may be closed for a while, usually in order to get their data straightened out, and sometimes when a list is re-opened for applications, they expect a huge rush of people to apply. So, what they do, on occasion, is use a lottery system. Everyone gets an application with a number, then they spin the wheel and the first, say, 200 application numbers that come up get put on the waiting list and the rest get discarded. So, these people could be waiting in line just for a slot on the waiting list for Section 8 vouchers.

Actually, let me clarify: the lottery is used to prevent this type of rush to get applications, because then it doesn't matter who gets the app first, only who is picked. If you don't use the lottery system, but use "first come, first served", then you get this mob.