Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman outlined her priorities for her first 100 days in office Sunday, putting homelessness at the forefront of her agenda as the race against Mayor Karen Bass enters its final weeks.
Raman finished second to Bass in the June primary, sending both candidates to the Nov. 3 election. Raman and Bass spent the weekend making their case to voters as the election enters its final month and vote-by-mail ballots begin heading to registered voters.
Homelessness was at the top of Raman’s agenda. The councilmember has often pointed to a 49% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in her district last year, noting that the decline came as numbers increased citywide.
The 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count estimated about 45,194 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, a 3.4% increase from 2025. LAHSA said the increase was not statistically significant.
Bass defended her administration’s record, arguing that it has made significant progress in addressing homelessness while acknowledging that more work needs to be done. At a South LA forum Saturday, she called the current system “completely dysfunctional” and argued that the city needs a better system for unhoused residents, with many services currently provided by Los Angeles County.
NBC4 political contributor Fernando Guerra noted that many factors contributing to homelessness fall outside City Hall’s control, but the city has authority over housing development.
Bass and Raman will meet again Oct. 13 for a live, hourlong mayoral debate hosted by NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 at 7 p.m. The debate will touch on homelessness, public safety, housing and economic development ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.
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