Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman is expected to lose her leadership role as chair of the City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee, according to people familiar with the situation. Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson plans to announce this week that the committee will be split into two separate entities—one for housing and one for homelessness—neither of which Raman will lead.
Did You Know? The city’s unsheltered homeless population increased this year following two straight years of decreases, according to data reported last month by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
Political Tension and the Mayoral Race
The leadership change comes as Raman challenges incumbent Mayor Karen Bass for reelection. Harris-Dawson, who declined to comment, is a close ally of Bass. Zev Yaroslavsky, chair of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and a former city council member, stated that the timing makes it hard to imagine the move isn’t related to politics.
In a video released Monday afternoon, Raman claimed she is being “punished” for her campaign against Bass. She asserted that the mayor and her allies are protecting a “deeply broken status quo” that fails the city’s residents.
Competing Claims Over Program Performance
Alex Stack, a spokesperson for the Bass campaign, attributed the move to Raman’s performance. Stack claimed Raman’s signature program to house homeless individuals via time-limited subsidies failed, costing over $60 million while filling only three apartments. He further alleged Raman canceled committee meetings for weeks and failed to show up to votes.
The Raman campaign disputed these figures, calling the claims inaccurate. They stated that the $60 million has not yet been spent, as funds are only disbursed once participants secure leases.
Conflicting Data on Homelessness Trends
Raman and Bass offer diverging interpretations of homelessness data. Raman has highlighted a 49% decrease in the number of people living on the street within her specific district. Mayor Bass, via Stack, argued that this drop was largely due to her “Inside Safe” program, which moves individuals into temporary housing.
Raman countered this claim at a news conference last month, asserting there were only three Inside Safe operations in her district. She argued that while the council passes legislation, the mayor is responsible for implementation and outcomes, claiming her committee was stifled by mayoral inaction.
Potential Next Steps for City Council
The formal announcement from Harris-Dawson this week may clarify the new leadership structure for the split committees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Nithya Raman losing her committee chair position?
According to people familiar with the situation, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson is splitting the Housing and Homelessness Committee into two separate committees, and Raman will not lead either. Raman claims she is being punished for her mayoral campaign, while the Bass campaign cites program failures and poor attendance.
What is the dispute over the $60 million program?
Alex Stack of the Bass campaign claims the program cost over $60 million but only filled three apartments. The Raman campaign states this is inaccurate and that the money is not spent until leases are signed, meaning the $60 million has not yet been spent.
How do the homelessness numbers differ by district and city?
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported that the citywide unsheltered population increased this year. However, Raman noted that the number of homeless people on the street in her district decreased by 49%.
How should the city balance temporary housing solutions versus permanent housing subsidies?