You won't read about this in the Bee or see it on TV, but today I made a campaign stop that every citizen of Sacramento SHOULD have seen.
It was a Voters Forum put on by the Volunteers of America/Sacramento, a shining star among the nonprofits of our community. More than 100 newly registered homeless men and women were at the Bannon Street Shelter, a facility where the homeless who qualify receive 90 to 120 consecutive days of food, shelter, clothing, job training, living skills preparation, rehabilitation referrals and permanent housing referrals.
So you're probably asking, why would I go talk to the homeless about the upcoming election?
Because these men and women matter.
As you probably know by now, my campaign slogan is "A City That Works for Everyone." That includes these men and women, some of whom are experiencing homelessness for the first time because of the downturn in our economy.
On the road to the shelter, there were are at least 100 homeless men and women camped out in tents, under trees, behind bushes, and right on the sidewalks Although I visited a homeless encampment hidden along the American River a couple of weeks ago, the conditions I saw today were even more jaw-dropping, particularly in the capital city of the richest state in our nation.
At the shelter, volunteers were registering the shelter's men and women, who poured out of the room listening to candidates and a rundown of the initiatives on the ballot. It was enthusiastic group, and they asked plenty of detailed questions about my approach to dealing with chronic and short-term homelessness challenges our city faces. They understood the need for tough love - enforcement of the laws we have, but also an understanding of the difficulties they face.
Our faltering economy is causing homelessness to skyrocket. We cannot afford as a community to turn a blind eye to the conditions on Bannon Street and along the American River; the recent crimes by and to the homeless population in our city are a rude awakening to that. I made a commitment today to make this a cornerstone of the change I'll bring to city hall, and I intend to follow through on it by deploying all the resources in our community.