Political Shift Affects Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman’s Role

Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson plans to split the council’s homelessness committee, which will result in Councilmember Nithya Raman losing her leadership role, according to individuals familiar with the decision. Harris-Dawson, an ally of Mayor Karen Bass, seeks to divide the committee into separate housing and homelessness panels. Raman, a challenger to Bass in the upcoming mayoral election, will not lead either new committee.

The decision raises questions about political motivations. Zev Yaroslavsky, former Los Angeles City Councilmember, noted the timing of the move, suggesting it could be politically motivated. Raman’s campaign has not commented on the development.

Harris-Dawson’s decision comes as Raman faces criticism for her handling of homelessness issues. Alex Stack, a spokesperson for Bass’ campaign, criticized Raman’s management of a program aimed at housing homeless individuals. The initiative, costly at over $60 million, reportedly resulted in just three filled apartments.

The timing coincides with an increase in Los Angeles’ unsheltered homeless population after two years of decline. However, Raman’s district saw a 49% decrease in street homelessness, a point Raman highlights in her campaign against Bass.

Differences in approach are clear between Raman and Bass. Bass attributes the decrease in Raman’s district to her Inside Safe program and partially blames citywide increases on budget cuts. She criticized Raman for inadequacies as the chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee.

In response, Raman argued her committee’s efforts were hindered by lack of action from the mayor. She pointed out the limited operations of Inside Safe in her district and emphasized the role of the mayor in implementing solutions.