Newcomer Raman Enters LA Mayor's Race with Emphasis on Affordable Housing
In a surprise move, Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has thrown her hat into the ring for the city's top spot, joining a crowded field of candidates vying for the mayor's office. The announcement came just hours before the filing deadline, marking a last-minute entry that could potentially shake up the election.
Raman represents a swath of neighborhoods stretching from the San Fernando Valley to Silver Lake and has made addressing the city's affordability crisis a central plank of her campaign. She decried Los Angeles as being "at a breaking point," where families are being priced out of their homes, and the city's homelessness system is failing to deliver.
The council member's remarks highlighted a pressing concern that many Angelenos share: the struggle to find affordable housing. Raman emphasized the need for a mayor who can drive urgency on building new homes while working to increase supply and affordability. Her focus on rent stabilization and efforts to address homelessness reflects her experience on the city council.
Raman's decision to run comes as the election landscape is taking shape, with several high-profile candidates opting out of the race in recent days. Former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, Housing Now California deputy director Rae Huang, veteran city engineer Asaad Alnajjar, and incumbent mayor Karen Bass are all vying for the top spot.
The newcomer's entry could present a formidable challenge to Bass, who has faced scrutiny over her handling of historic wildfires that burned parts of LA. Raman, however, has been a close ally of Bass in the past but also has strong connections with leaders in the Yimby movement, which advocates for expanding housing production.
As the election heats up, immigration raids by the Trump administration have become an increasingly contentious issue in Los Angeles. Bass has labeled the raids as "an attack from our own federal government," further cementing her position on the left flank of the Democratic Party.
With Raman now in the mix, voters can expect a lively debate on issues ranging from affordable housing to immigration and crisis management. The newcomer's emphasis on urgency and accountability could make for an intriguing campaign narrative, particularly as the election draws near.
In a surprise move, Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman has thrown her hat into the ring for the city's top spot, joining a crowded field of candidates vying for the mayor's office. The announcement came just hours before the filing deadline, marking a last-minute entry that could potentially shake up the election.
Raman represents a swath of neighborhoods stretching from the San Fernando Valley to Silver Lake and has made addressing the city's affordability crisis a central plank of her campaign. She decried Los Angeles as being "at a breaking point," where families are being priced out of their homes, and the city's homelessness system is failing to deliver.
The council member's remarks highlighted a pressing concern that many Angelenos share: the struggle to find affordable housing. Raman emphasized the need for a mayor who can drive urgency on building new homes while working to increase supply and affordability. Her focus on rent stabilization and efforts to address homelessness reflects her experience on the city council.
Raman's decision to run comes as the election landscape is taking shape, with several high-profile candidates opting out of the race in recent days. Former reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, Housing Now California deputy director Rae Huang, veteran city engineer Asaad Alnajjar, and incumbent mayor Karen Bass are all vying for the top spot.
The newcomer's entry could present a formidable challenge to Bass, who has faced scrutiny over her handling of historic wildfires that burned parts of LA. Raman, however, has been a close ally of Bass in the past but also has strong connections with leaders in the Yimby movement, which advocates for expanding housing production.
As the election heats up, immigration raids by the Trump administration have become an increasingly contentious issue in Los Angeles. Bass has labeled the raids as "an attack from our own federal government," further cementing her position on the left flank of the Democratic Party.
With Raman now in the mix, voters can expect a lively debate on issues ranging from affordable housing to immigration and crisis management. The newcomer's emphasis on urgency and accountability could make for an intriguing campaign narrative, particularly as the election draws near.
raman sounds like she's got some solid ideas about addressing affordability in la - it's crazy how many ppl are being priced out of their own homes 
i'm curious to see how bass reacts to the new challenger coming into play 
might make for a fascinating campaign...
she's all about makin' a change, especially when it comes to affordable housing 
I mean we've been talkin 'bout this for ages and not much has happened, so it's nice to see someone throw their hat in the ring and actually try to tackle the problem. Plus, her experience on the city council is huge, she knows what's goin' on down there 
And let's be real, Karen Bass has had her fair share of criticism lately 
so it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out.
. It's gonna be interesting to see how she shakes up the field - especially with Bass having some tough times lately 
. The city's affordability crisis is a real thing, and someone needs to tackle it head-on. I love that Raman's focusing on urgency and accountability; it's about time we had a mayor who can deliver results 
. Can't wait to see how the debates go down - should be some fireworks 
️!
. Raman seems like a good person and all, but I'm not sure if she's ready for this kind of thing yet 
And why did she wait until the last minute to announce her candidacy? It just feels like a publicity stunt to me 
. And let's not forget that Bass has been dealing with some pretty tough scrutiny herself, so I don't think Raman is necessarily shaking things up at this point 
.
.
It's about time we see some real leadership on this issue... I'm so down for her campaign and I think she'd be an awesome mayor 
. It's just another example of how the system is rigged towards the 'establishment' candidates 
. Affordable housing is super important, don't get me wrong, but can't we just talk about the bigger picture here? Like how LA's gentrification is pricing out actual artists and musicians 
? The Yimby movement might be onto something, though - it's time for us to think outside the box (or in this case, the housing bubble) 
. I think Bass has been under pressure from her own party members about those wildfires and immigration raids - it's creating divisions within the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, Raman comes out swinging on affordable housing, which seems like a no-brainer to most Angelenos. But what really gets me is how this newcomer is building relationships with the Yimby movement... that's some interesting coalition-building stuff 
. Can we trust her though? Will she bring in fresh ideas or just ride the wave of outrage against Trump's immigration policies? One thing for sure, this election is going to be a wild ride 
!
. If she can bring some real solutions to the table, she might just give Bass a run for her money 
. The city's been crying out for change, and it's time someone started listening 
. Can't wait to see how this plays out in the election 
anyway i think it's dope that someone from the city council is taking on the big role, they gotta know the ins and outs of la like nobody's business 
plus her ties to the yimby movement could bring some much-needed innovation to the table 
what do u guys think? should we be rooting for raman or basu? 
The affordable housing crisis isn't going anywhere and it feels like these candidates are just rehashing old ideas without any real concrete plans 
. I'm curious to see how her Yimby connections will play out in this campaign 
But Bass has been building her base for ages, so we'll see what kind of fireworks Raman brings to the table 
. This election just got a lot more interesting! 
. I mean, Bass has been dealing with some heat over her handling of wildfires, so maybe Raman's entry will force her to take a harder stance on affordable housing 
this city is already crazy expensive and families are literally being priced out of their homes it's about time someone brings some real urgency to the table 
. It's crazy how much of an issue that is in LA right now 
. Does anyone think Bass can handle the pressure with all these candidates vying for her spot?