Raman's role in tackling homelessness comes under scrutiny in L.A. mayor's race

A Committee Shake-Up Sparks Debate

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has made homelessness the centerpiece of her mayoral campaign, but her own role in the city's response is now under scrutiny. Raman was removed as chair of the City Council's Housing and Homelessness Committee by council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, effective Sept. 1, a decision that has become a key flashpoint in the race against Mayor Karen Bass.

Harris-Dawson, described as a key Bass ally, split the committee and replaced Raman, saying the panel needed a leader who could move quickly. "The committee is behind in excess of more than 100 issues," Harris-Dawson told the Los Angeles Times. "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."

Raman, however, sees politics at play. She claims her removal was a "hit job" for challenging Bass, a charge Harris-Dawson disputes. Raman's final meeting as chair was Wednesday, but she did not attend, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Policy Clashes Over Solutions

The leadership dispute reflects deeper disagreements between Raman and Bass over how to tackle the crisis. Raman has criticized Bass's signature Inside Safe program, which moves people from encampments into motels and interim housing, as overly expensive. The program costs about $82,000 per person per year, according to city reports cited by the Los Angeles Times.

Raman has proposed time-limited rental vouchers as a cheaper alternative, costing about $30,000—less than half the price of an Inside Safe bed. But the voucher program has struggled to scale, moving only three households into leases by July 1, 2025, and 54 by Aug. 13, against a goal of 600 by that date. Bass campaign spokesperson Alex Stack said subsidies are not a silver bullet.

Raman has also pointed to a 49% drop in street homelessness in her district, which she credits to her approach, while Bass attributes progress to Inside Safe. The Los Angeles Times reports that Raman previously signed off on funding for the program but has grown more critical over the past year.

A Divided Council and Records Under Fire

Raman's tenure as committee chair drew criticism from fellow council members. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez accused Raman of slow-walking her 2024 proposal to study separating from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Councilmember Imelda Padilla described Raman's committee as more of a "scholastic seminar" than a policymaking body.

Supporters of Raman point to her record of accountability: she established monitoring of all city homelessness spending, created 35 performance metrics, and stewarded the creation of a Bureau of Homelessness Oversight. But that record is now being weighed against the city's broader homelessness numbers.

The latest LAHSA count shows overall homelessness increased 3.4% last year, with street homelessness rising 7.9%—after two consecutive years of decreases. Bass's administration highlights that under her tenure, homelessness declined for two consecutive years for the first time in city history, with street homelessness falling 17.5% since before she took office.

Bass's LAHSA Attendance Questioned

The Washington Examiner reported that Bass has been absent from LAHSA commission meetings despite homelessness being a central issue in her reelection. LAHSA Commissioner Justin Szlasa told LAist—as cited in the Washington Examiner—that commissioners need to attend meetings to participate in the deliberative process.

Bass's office says she has remained up to date on LAHSA's work regardless of attendance, and her administration has representation through her appointee Stephanie Graves, who chairs the commission. Supporters argue Bass has been more engaged on homelessness than any previous mayor, pointing to Inside Safe and broader efforts.

But the criticism has been dismissed by some strategists. Nick Smith, a national political strategist with Polaris, called the attendance critique an effort by Raman to find an issue that sticks. "Council Member Raman is grasping for anything that will stick against incumbent Mayor Bass, and I don't think attendance at a commission is it," Smith told the Washington Examiner. He argued Bass's record should be judged by results, not meeting attendance.

Others see a bigger problem. Michael Fahey said Bass appointing herself to the commission would make the optics worse, while Brad Chase said Bass appears "disorganized, not distracted." The Washington Examiner also mentioned a separate story about Bass touting a fake poll showing a large lead.

A Campaign Crossroads

The debate over Raman's committee record and Bass's engagement comes as both candidates seek to define the homelessness issue in the mayor's race. Smith suggested Raman needs to make a serious pitch to moderates and Republicans, a challenge given her policy stance. Meanwhile, Bass's broader record and the complexities of county and federal funding—including a suspended $240 million federal grant that was later blocked by a judge—loom over the discussion.

For now, the homelessness crisis remains the central battleground, with Raman's removal as committee chair serving as a lens through which voters may judge her effectiveness—and Bass's leadership by results.