Bass, Raman take homelessness clash to San Fernando Valley as polling shows dead heat
LA mayoral candidates make final campaign push
Neck-and-neck in the polls, Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman campaigned just a mile apart in the San Fernando Valley, trading blows over citywide homelessness results, local encampment clearing, and $400M in city spending.
LOS ANGELES - In a race where the latest polling shows Mayor Karen Bass and Challenger Nithya Raman running neck-and-neck, both mayoral candidates converged on the San Fernando Valley to draw sharp contrasts on homelessness, city spending, and leadership.
The candidates chose nearby locations in Council District 4—represented by Raman—to frame the debate over how Los Angeles is handling its most pressing issue.
Incumbent mayor points to local homelessness reductions
Campaigning in Encino, Mayor Karen Bass met with local supporters who pointed to progress on homelessness and public safety in the area during her administration. Bass leveraged her presence in District 4 to attack her opponent's record, asserting that reductions in homelessness in the area were driven directly by her administration's programs rather than local leadership.
"The 49% reduction in homelessness in this district was Inside Safe operations," Mayor Karen Bass said, arguing that her opponent's claims demonstrate an "inability to tell the truth."
Bass also took aim at Raman's platform on affordable housing, claiming the councilmember ranks near the bottom of the City Council for total housing built within her own district.
Raman points to cleared encampments, attacks mayor's spending
The other side:
Just a mile away, City Councilmember Nithya Raman gathered supporters off the 101 Freeway underpass—using a restored mural and a cleared area to highlight what she described as successful local outreach.
"We brought outreach here, we brought people indoors, and these areas have stayed clear," Nithya Raman said. She fired back at Bass' criticism regarding citywide responsibility, questioning the mayor's accountability when metrics fluctuate.
"When it's in my district, she gets the district. When numbers go up across the entire city, it's not her fault—so which is it? Are you in charge, or are you not?" Raman asked.
She turned the focus to city finances, calling the mayor's fiscal oversight and management of homelessness funds "managerial malpractice."
"This mayor spent $400 million of your money, delivered indefensible results, and then refused to let your City Hall watchdog check the books," Raman told voters. "That's not bad luck—that's managerial malpractice."
A tight race reflecting voter discontent
Dig deeper:
With recent polls showing the two candidates locked in a dead heat, Raman expressed confidence that the close numbers reflect broader public sentiment about the current administration.
RELATED: LA mayor race: Karen Bass and Nithya Raman tied in new poll
"That is a sign to me of the deep, deep dissatisfaction that Angelenos are seeing in their leadership," Raman said.
With Election Day approaching, both campaigns are focusing heavily on voters in the San Fernando Valley to secure a decisive edge.
The Source: Information for this story came from mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman.