Raman's role in tackling homelessness comes under scrutiny in L.A. mayor's race
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Set us as preferred Nithya Raman has made Los Angeles’ struggle to combat homelessness a key plank in her mayoral campaign, yet her own record on the matter has itself become an issue with her ouster as head of the City Council committee seeking solutions to the crisis.Mayor Karen Bass is at the helm of the city’s battle against homelessness, but since 2023 Raman has been the second-most powerful official as chair of the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee.
That changed this month, when council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a key Bass ally, split the committee in two and removed Raman as its chair, effective Sept.1.Raman claims that politics were at play, casting her removal as a hit job for her decision to challenge Bass.
Harris-Dawson disputes that, saying Raman failed to lead the committee with the urgency needed to combat L.A.’s enduring homelessness crisis.“The committee is behind in excess of more than 100 issues,” said Harris-Dawson in an interview.“There are very serious decisions to make over what happens with homelessness.
We needed someone who could focus on that and get it done and get it done quickly and show ability to build consensus.”Beyond the dispute over Raman’s leadership of the committee, there are clear policy disagreements between the mayor and the council member over the best way to combat the crisis.Raman contends that Bass’ signature program Inside Safe, which dismantles encampments and moves people living there into motels, hotels and interim housing, is overly expensive and unsustainable.On average, the cost of housing these individuals runs about $82,000 a year, according to city reports.Raman has repeatedly signed off on funding for the program, but has become more critical of it in the last year.
Despite the city’s efforts, L.A.’s unsheltered homeless...