We have obtained a video in which the mayor of the city of Stockton, California-Anthony Silva, slept outside in a small box with the homeless. The mayor’s efforts were made in order to raise awareness of their plight and also help raise funds for shelters.
In the video, Mayor Silva said he is determined to put an end to the homelessness situation in the city, but before he could make any meaningful changes, he will have to get a firsthand experience sleeping outside like the many unfortunate homeless people.
The mayor slept in the downtown part of the city. Many homeless camps can be seen in the video; dozens of tents have been pitched on the sidewalks and under freeways. It is not comfortable seeing people sleeping in such an area.
Mayor Silva was seen fashioning himself into the shelter made of a small cardboard box and duct tape. During the video, the mayor called the box his “master bedroom” and “home” for the night. He later added that it is never the will of people to be homeless, it is instead, a result of circumstances beyond their control.
The generous mayor said his office partnered with the Stockton Inner City Action, a Christian organization that helps people in need, to arrange a barbecue and entertainment for the homeless, allowing them to feel a part of society.
“I thought I’d come out here for a night and spend a night with the homeless to see what it is that they go through. It’s about giving them a light at the end of the tunnel that there is hope, and that’s why I’m out here to give them that hope. It’s shocking and it’s absolutely awful. This is not a second- or third-world country. It’s Stockton, California, and it’s a shame that we, as a community, have let things get this bad,” he said.
Through the mayor’s initiative and the help of other aid organizations, plans are far advanced to get the homeless some temporal shelters. These shelters will provide them their basic needs while the city continues to deliberate on the best possible way to solve the homeless situation permanently.
But the major said this will need the help of philanthropic individuals who are ready to contribute the little they have to help solve the problem.
It is said that the Stockton city has an estimated 5,000 homeless people. San Joaquin County has between 10,000 and 15,000 homeless people. This means that the homeless situation in California is something authorities need to address with the maximum attention.
Many have expressed appreciation and congratulated the mayor on what he has done. By taking the initiative to go out in the cold and sleep among the people often stigmatized as being lazy outcasts, he has shown that his office is ready to solve the problem and give these homeless people hope.
According to advocates for the homeless, a full-time minimum wage worker in California earns about $1,450 a month. Meanwhile, a standard one-bedroom apartment in the San Joaquin County area costs $709 or more a month. It automatically becomes difficult for people to have decent accommodation considering their wages.
This means that life is becoming more difficult for many people in California. It is therefore imperative that authorities promptly address some of these pressing social issues; only then can people have better living standards.
Mayor Anthony Silva was elected in November, 2012. He was born and raised in Stockton and he has a passion for helping the youth. As a result, he sits on many local non-profit Board of Directors, including: Stockton Silver Lake Camp, Miss San Joaquin and the East Stockton Yellowjackets.
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http://www.stocktongov.com/government/council/mayor.html
Its appalling that in the video the mayor has to resort to saying how bad homlessness is on the streets saying stuff like “we cant have people pan handling at the cinema”, nothing against him, I think he needs to to communicate his message since many are ignorant of the fact that this is an issue because it “doesnt affect them”