Exclusive | Karen Bass reveals her biggest wildfire regret, promises new approach to homelessness and slams Nithya Raman

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has admitted to making mistakes and is asking voters for another chance — outlining to The California Post her plan to boost police hiring and clean up street homelessness in the city.In an exclusive interview with The Post, Bass revealed she didn’t know “how profoundly broken” LA’s homeless management had become, while saying outside restrictions that hampered her efforts have been lifted.The incumbent said on Friday that she’s hoping lessons from her first term will win over frustrated voters — including those still reeling from the devastating January 2025 wildfires, which erupted while she was in Ghana.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story When asked about her biggest regret, the mayor didn’t hesitate.“The biggest regret is most obviously that I wasn’t here,” she said.She pointed to her staff helping residents rebuild, as well her trips to Sacramento and Washington to secure aid, but admitted those efforts haven’t won over the public.“I’m a workhorse and not a show horse, and I’ve paid for it politically,” she acknowledged.

If reelected, Bass said she would boost the LAPD’s ranks to 9,500 officers by the 2028 Olympics, overhaul homeless housing, and expand mental health and addiction treatment to get people off the streets for good.She is targeting the city’s sluggish police hiring process, which can take up to a year to bring new officers on board, as she pushes to rebuild the LAPD to 9,500 officers.She has already replaced the head of the city’s Personnel Department, which oversees hiring, and issued an executive directive aimed at cutting the process to 180 days.“Staffing up the department after years of decline is one of my top priorities.We’re cutting the red tape and streamlining proc...