Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing significant challenges in her reelection campaign following the release of delayed 2026 homeless count data, which indicates a rise in the city's homeless population. The figures show an almost 3.4% increase in overall homelessness and a 7.9% surge in unsheltered individuals since 2025, starkly contrasting with claims of progress made by the Bass administration.
LAHSA released the figures Friday, showing a worse trend than LA County overall, which reported a 1.2% rise in homelessness and a 3.3% increase in unsheltered residents. The mayor's office attributed some of the increase to federal policies, stating that the "Trump Administration has driven up the cost of gas, groceries, and rent — pushing more families to the edge — and slashed critical safety net funding." However, this explanation has been met with skepticism.
Los Angeles and LA County together allocate approximately $3 billion annually to address homelessness. Critics argue that despite this expenditure, the city's approach, which has prioritized "housing first" strategies without adequately addressing underlying issues such as substance abuse and mental illness, has yielded insufficient results. Concerns have also been raised about the oversight and accountability of the LA Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), with accusations of money being disbursed without sufficient monitoring and a slow pace in the city taking over the agency's functions.
The new homeless numbers pose a significant political obstacle for Mayor Bass. Ordinarily, such news would benefit her opponent in the general election, City Council member Nithya Raman. However, Raman also chairs the City Council's committee on homelessness, making her equally implicated in the crisis. This situation leaves voters with a challenging choice between reelecting a mayor who has not demonstrably improved the homelessness situation and a council member whose policy approach is also viewed critically.
Spencer Pratt, a challenger who made homelessness a central issue of his campaign, suggested that both Bass and Raman share blame for the current state of affairs. Pratt, who lost his home during the Palisades Fire, drew attention to issues within homeless encampments, including animal abuse, via social media. He appeared to be on track for the general election runoff before late ballots shifted the outcome, placing Raman ahead of him.
In a related development, some critics suggest Raman may have benefited from the large homeless populations in certain neighborhoods, potentially through ballot harvesting at homeless shelters. This ironic twist suggests that Raman's campaign might have gained an advantage from the very issue she has struggled to resolve. This circumstance, coupled with California's primary system that does not allow for write-in candidates in general elections, limits voter options and has been described as a crisis for local democracy.
The timing of the homeless count, typically released in late July, has also drawn comment, though it is not believed to have been deliberately delayed for political reasons. However, its release after the primary vote meant voters did not have this crucial data when casting their ballots. During a mayoral debate, Bass had claimed significant success in reducing homelessness, while Raman spoke of "incremental" progress and proposed a plan to clear encampments.
voters are left with a difficult decision between two candidates whose records on homelessness are seen as unsatisfactory. The absence of alternative candidates like Spencer Pratt in the general election further narrows the choices for those concerned about the escalating crisis. The current political landscape offers voters a choice described not as the "lesser of two evils, but the evil of two lessers."