Matt Mahan, the 43-year-old San Jose mayor and Democratic candidate for California governor, visited Skid Row on Tuesday to spotlight what he called a “multi-decade public policy failure” — and to make the case that involuntary treatment for people experiencing homelessness is not only necessary, but humane.
According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, the visit comes as the state’s gubernatorial primary is fewer than four months away, and Mahan — while well known in Northern California — is still working to build name recognition in Southern California.
“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,” Mahan said.
The mayor did not shy away from controversial ground. He made clear he supports compelling some unhoused people into treatment, even without their consent. “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 from over the last decade,” Mahan said, “or say, we’re going to get you into a safe spot where you can detox.”
When Eyewitness News asked how he responds to local leaders in Los Angeles who say his approach criminalizes homelessness, Mahan pushed back firmly. “I don’t buy that at all. It’s an excuse of inaction,” he said.
Mahan points to San Jose as proof his approach works. The city has seen a one-third reduction in street homelessness under his leadership. He says California’s core problem is that it no longer works for middle-class families, and he argues that fixing practical problems is “the best resistance imaginable” — including against President Donald Trump. San Jose has already sued the Trump administration multiple times.
In the first two weeks of his campaign, Mahan raised millions of dollars, much of it from Silicon Valley’s tech community. Rival candidates have criticized those ties, though Mahan has said he won’t be “beholden” to those donors if elected.
The race is crowded. Mahan is competing against Democrats including Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer, and Tony Thurmond, as well as Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. The primary is set for June 2026.
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