Los Angeles is facing significant challenges in its housing market, characterized by high home prices and a need for increased housing density. The city has the highest home-price-to-household-income ratio among major U.S. cities. To address this issue, California's SB 79 law allows for taller and denser housing near transit stops, but it has faced opposition from the city council and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Nithya Raman, a mayoral candidate and advocate for housing development, is running against Bass in the upcoming election.
Raman has gained traction in a city traditionally resistant to growth, positioning housing affordability as a central theme of her campaign. She argues that the city must increase housing supply to lower rental costs and protect renters. Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has supported tenant protections, including stricter rent control measures, despite concerns from housing experts that such regulations may exacerbate the housing crisis.
In an interview, Raman discussed the barriers to housing development in Los Angeles, including lengthy permit approval processes and a lack of coordination among city departments. She emphasized the need for a more efficient approach to housing policy and expressed her commitment to balancing tenant protections with the need for new housing construction. Raman believes that increasing housing supply is essential to addressing the affordability crisis and preventing displacement of current residents.
Raman's campaign is seen as a potential turning point for housing policy in California, with implications for other high-cost cities across the nation. The outcome of the election could influence the future of housing development and affordability in Los Angeles and beyond.