Mayoral candidate Josh Kraft and a group of 20 supporters gathered outside Doña Habana restaurant on Melnea Cass Boulevard on Monday as Kraft offered his plan to address the “human tragedy and the public safety threat” in the Mass. and Cass area. 

This “is a crisis with two faces,” said Kraft. “One tells a story of street homelessness, addiction, mental health issues, and sadly, human trafficking. It’s a story of people with little progress and even less hope. The other tells a story of pervasive public disorder and a city that’s lost control of drug dealing and property crime.

“My plan centers on three key actions,” Kraft said during a sidewalk press conference. “Number one, prioritizing public order and community safety. Number two, adopting a recovery-first motto for helping addicted people find and achieve recovery. And number three, providing strong support for housing and other services that are proven to help folks get their lives back on track.”

Kraft also called for more proactive police enforcement, establishing a “Recover Boston” campus, and increasing shelter capacity. 

Dina Gonsalves-Perez and her daughter Diya Ortega were two supporters at the event who said they back Kraft and his plan. 

“We’ve lived in Boston our whole lives; we’re from Dorchester,” said Ortega, who is studying at Bridgewater State University to become a social worker. “We’ve seen the pain and the trauma that can be caused, especially with vulnerable people suffering from substance use disorder.” 

She added: “It makes a bigger difference when [Kraft] actually makes the effort to put himself within that community. You have to be able to put yourself within that community to see what’s actually going on instead of looking at it from the outside.”

Her mother, who is a member relations specialist at The Phoenix-Boston, a sober active community, agreed.

“He’s in the thick of it. Every morning, he goes to Roxbury and has coffee. How much more down-to-earth can you get?” 

Doña Habana restaurant owner Hector Pina is hopeful, but not as convinced about Kraft’s candidacy.

“Personally, I really like Michelle [Wu], but I think she hasn’t been able to tackle the problems the city is facing right now,” Pina said.

When asked about Kraft’s plan, he said: “We have to keep trying. This is exactly what democracy is all about. We need to have our politicians be responsible for whatever is going on, and they have to guarantee businesses can operate and people can move freely around without any fear.”

Pina said his restaurant has seen a 40 percent decline in sales because of public safety concerns in the area. He said that, combined with the national economic situation, puts his business at risk.

In a summation, Kraft said, “Mayor Wu tells us over and over again how Boston is the safest city in America, but the people I’ve spoken to don’t feel safe at all. I will partner with an army of people I know across the city that I’ve worked with for decades who care deeply about this problem; they are the people who want to solve this problem, and together we will solve this problem.”