Gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan visits Skid Row, says he supports 'involuntary treatment'

"I'm spending a lot of time down here and I want to shine a spotlight on the things we can do better to hold Sacramento and our cities and counties accountable, for making California work for our middle-class families,"

"What we saw today on Skid Row is a multi-decade public policy failure. We're failing to build the shelter, the treatment capacity that our most vulnerable neighbors need. We're also failing to enforce against drug dealing and create accountability for people to come indoors."

"We can either allow the person to continue to deteriorate and die on our streets of overdose, as we've seen tens of thousands of Californians tragically die form over the last decade,"

"I don't buy that at all. It's an excuse of inaction,"

Matt Mahan, San Jose mayor, is campaigning across Southern California to increase recognition and press for accountability from Sacramento, cities, and counties. Mahan identifies Skid Row as a multi-decade public policy failure caused by insufficient shelter and treatment capacity and weak enforcement against drug dealing. Mahan proposes moving people indoors and into detox rather than allowing overdoses and street deaths. Mahan rejects claims that his approach criminalizes homelessness, calling that an excuse for inaction. Mahan cites a one-third reduction in street homelessness in his city and reports significant early campaign funding from the tech community while running in a crowded field.

Read at ABC7 Los Angeles