Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman was removed as chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee Tuesday following a 13-1 vote to dissolve the panel. The move has ignited sharp criticism from within the Democratic party.
Imelda Padilla, a Democrat and candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 6 who served on Raman’s committee, delivered a pointed critique of Raman’s leadership. "The months that I served on that committee under your leadership were the most unproductive time I’ve had on council. You ran it like a lecture hall at a university, not a place of government decision making," Padilla stated. She further added, "You were removed because of your inability to lead and get things done. The homeless crisis does not need a chair that is all talk and no action."
The committee dissolution and Raman's ouster as chair were part of a restructuring introduced by Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson. However, Raman suggested the action was politically motivated, potentially tied to her mayoral campaign.
"Mayor Bass’ top City Council ally removed me as Chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee," Raman said on Instagram. "The Mayor may be trying to punish me for challenging her."
Padilla also pointed to Raman’s record, citing "over 100 motions not scheduled, canceled meetings and leaving when controversial votes came around; unacceptable." Padilla also contested Raman's claims about homelessness reduction in her district, stating, "Now you are being dishonest about how homelessness was reduced in your district: it was Inside Safe."
Alex Stack, a spokesperson for Mayor Karen Bass' campaign, echoed similar criticisms, accusing Raman of canceling meetings, missing votes, and failing to deliver on housing solutions or move people off the streets. Stack also criticized Raman's signature program, stating it had "a failure, spending over $60 million for nearly a year but only filling three apartments."
Los Angeles faces a persistent homelessness crisis, with figures rising since Mayor Bass took office. The city has allocated significant resources and political effort to address the issue, yet the problem remains.
The political landscape of the Los Angeles City Council is predominantly Democratic, with 10 Democrats, four democratic socialists, and one independent. Despite this, the party is publicly engaged in disputes over the handling of the homelessness crisis.
Council members' salaries are not affected by committee assignments, with all 15 council members receiving an annual base salary of approximately $245,255, which is tied to the salary of California Superior Court judges.