By admin 
GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) — Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman believes Los Angeles is moving in the wrong direction and argues that her approach to leadership is needed to address the city’s homelessness crisis and restore public trust in government.
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Raman pointed to what she described as a significant reduction in homelessness-related encampments in her council district, District 4.
“I’ve had a 70% reduction in tents, RVs and encampments in my district in just the last three years. And that has been the result of the kind of approach that I’ve pushed for, which is responsive, it is transparent, and it changes based on the information and data and performance metrics we have available,” Raman said.
A major focus of Raman’s criticism is the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, known as LAHSA, a joint city-county agency that has faced criticism over allegations of mismanagement, including losing track of $2.5 billion and arrests involving homeless service providers accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars.
Raman said the current structure leaves too much responsibility with outside providers and insufficient oversight by the city.
“We provide a certain amount of money to fund X number of activities, outreach, shelter beds, permanent board of housing units. And then the Homeless Services Authority subcontracts that to a series of providers. They’re the ones in this setup that have been tasked with actually making sure that those providers are doing what they say they’re doing to do. And the city has largely washed its hands of that,” she said.
Raman believes a key priority would be bringing more direct oversight of homelessness spending under city control.
“We should be actually managing those dollars ourselves, and if I end up becoming mayor, that is where we will focus on,” she said.
Raman also addressed questions about the Los Angeles Police Department and Police Chief Jim McDonnell. She claims an interview with an influencer was edited to make it appear she called Mayor Karen Bass and McDonnell “fascist liars,” something Raman insists she did not do. However, she raised concerns about police actions during federal immigration enforcement activity and protests.
“ICE was operating on our streets, and LAPD almost seemed like they were protecting them doing what they were doing out there instead of protecting Angelenos who were out there, whether it has been the choice by this mayor and this police chief to use teargas on protestors,” she said.
Asked whether she would replace the police chief if elected mayor, Raman admitted it would not be an immediate priority.
“You know, replacing the chief of police is not on my 100-day agenda. Restoring trust with our law enforcement and the public is on my 100-day agenda,” she said.
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At the same time, Raman indicated she believes different leadership may eventually be needed.
“I think this police chief has not met this moment and, you now, if and when I have that choice, I would be looking for a different leader for this moment in this city’s history,” she said.
“The mayor says if you were to replace the police chief, you know, a year and a half before the Olympics, that could be a disaster,” Marc Brown said.
“That’s all stuff that I think about now and things that certainly I will be weighing and considering as we move forward,” Raman replied.
Raman later added: “I believe his term goes through 2030, if I’m not mistaken, and at that point I think I would be looking to appoint a new chief.”
With as many as 30% of Los Angeles voters undecided in the mayoral race, Raman said reaching voters through influencers and other nontraditional channels is important.
“You have to reach voters where they are. You have to be able to make people care about local politics,” she said.
Raman argued that many residents are dissatisfied with the city’s direction and are looking for new leadership.
“It is very clear that residents of this city feel like we are moving in the wrong direction as opposed to the right direction, that we don’t have the leadership we need from our mayor. My job is to go out there and make the case that I share their frustration, which I do,” she said.
Raman said rebuilding confidence in city government would be one of her central goals.
“I believe in the power of government to do good in people’s lives, but when you fail to deliver results,” she said, “Angelenos lose their trust in the city. And I want to restore that trust.”
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