Karen Bass Faces Challenges in L.A. Mayoral Race

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is facing a challenging reelection campaign. She is up against competitors including a reality TV personality, a tech entrepreneur, and two progressive candidates. The race focuses on issues like homelessness, police hiring, and housing production, with each candidate proposing different solutions to L.A.’s crises.

Background and Achievements

Bass made history four years ago by defeating real estate developer Rick Caruso by about 10 percentage points, becoming the first woman elected as Los Angeles mayor. She now faces 13 challengers, with four showing strong polling and fundraising performances.

Despite criticism for her response to the Palisades fire, Bass highlights her achievements, including reduced street homelessness and the lowest homicide rates since 1966. She portrays herself as a champion of change within City Hall, emphasizing her policy wins such as affordable housing projects.

Meet the Challengers

Karen Bass: A veteran politician, Bass began her civic career in South Los Angeles and later served in the state Assembly and Congress. Now in her second term bid, she focuses on homelessness, public safety, housing reform, and rebuilding the Palisades.

Rae Huang: A Presbyterian minister and community organizer from Sawtelle, Huang advocates for police funding cuts and Vienna-style social housing. As a former deputy director at Housing NOW! California, she aims to expand affordable housing and prevent renter displacement.

Adam Miller: A former tech CEO, Miller lives in Brentwood. He aims to manage city’s issues effectively, proposing more ‘tiny home’ villages and shelter beds. He supports Municipal Code Section 41.18 to restrict encampments near schools and sensitive locations.

Spencer Pratt: Known from reality TV, Pratt’s campaign criticizes Bass’s handling of homelessness. He seeks to address mental illness and addiction as drivers of chronic homelessness, advocating a ‘treatment first’ policy for long-term housing.

Nithya Raman: Raman has represented Hollywood Hills, pushing for reduced evictions and housing production. She supports relying on apartment vouchers for cost-effective solutions to homelessness and opposes expanding anti-encampment laws.

Candidate Positions

Homelessness

Bass launched the Inside Safe program, moving thousands from streets to temporary housing, although return rates to the streets are high. She plans to enhance social services in the program. Raman voted for the program’s funding but sees it as costly, preferring vouchers and centralized oversight.

Miller calls Inside Safe a failure, proposing new ‘tiny home’ villages and a homeless outreach app. Pratt criticizes current efforts and promotes a ‘treatment first’ policy. Huang opposes anti-encampment laws and wants to audit Inside Safe while increasing permanent supportive housing.

Police Hiring

Bass prioritizes police hiring, aiming for 9,500 officers, yet struggles with numbers below 8,700. Efforts include pay increases and recruitment acceleration. Raman and Huang express dissatisfaction with Chief Jim McDonnell and oppose police funding. Pratt and Miller support police funding for neighborhood safety.

Housing Production

Bass’s Executive Directive 1 sped up approvals for affordable housing, resulting in 42,000 units approved. Raman and Pratt seek further efficiency with mandated approval timelines, while Huang advocates for social housing. Miller emphasizes the need for various housing types to meet demand.