STOCKTON, Calif. — A Stockton family is ecstatic at the idea of having their own space inside an RV trailer.
"To be here and experience everything that they do for us, it's awesome," said Jennifer Villalobos.
Antonio and Jennifer Villalobos and their sons have been at the Stockton Shelter for the Homeless for nearly a month, after the lease where they lived before was not renewed.
But, a ray of hope for the family came in the form of nine trailers given to the shelter by Governor Gavin Newsom's office.
Last month, Newsom issued an executive order to send emergency mobile housing trailers to families and seniors.
Five counties, along with the cities of Oakland and Stockton were recipients of the trailers.
Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs says his staff worked the phones three weeks ago to ensure his city was part of the giveaway.
"[We] reached out to JoLynn, the CEO of the Stockton Shelter, [and] they put a proposal together in a day. And, a week later, the governor came back to us and said 'OK, here's your trailers," Tubbs said.
Right now, there are 30 families staying at the shelter, but, with the addition of these trailers, it would increase the capacity by almost 25%.
The family side of the shelter is currently at 120% without the trailers.
The trailers will be used as transitional housing, which is for families already in the shelter system.
Shelter director JoLyn McMillan knows the trailers won't solve the homeless crisis in the city but says any help is welcome.
"We're identifying families, right now. We go to our case manager to determine who are the families, so, the first family will probably go into their trailer within the next day or two. And then, we will keep going everyday until we keep filling all nine trailers," said McMillan.
Families like Troy Mullins, girlfriend Nicole Blebins and her daughters Avah and Alennah, are hopeful they'll get one as well.
"Ya know, your own space. Your privacy. It's a lot. I mean it's huge for families that have sat there and struggled and struggled and struggled," Blebins said.
Antonio Villalobos has two interviews lined-up next week for a job as a short haul trucker. The family hopes that, if he lands work, they'll be on the road to finding their own place again, and no longer classified as homeless.
Mayor Tubbs says he is hopeful Stockton can receive even more trailers in the future.
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