Los Angeles faces a severe housing crisis, characterized by a high home-price-to-household-income ratio and a shortage of available homes. Mayoral candidate Nithya Raman is making the city's housing affordability the centerpiece of her campaign to unseat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.
Raman, a prominent advocate for increasing housing density, argues that the city's leadership has actively resisted necessary changes, citing opposition to California's SB 79, a law designed to allow taller, denser housing near transit stops. Raman contends that the city itself has become the primary obstacle to new housing development due to lengthy permit approval timelines and uncooperative city departments, including the Department of Water and Power.
"The city of Los Angeles stands in the way of new housing," Raman stated in a recent interview. If elected, she plans to implement deadlines for departmental responses to applications and ensure better predictability in the development process. She also criticized the current administration for a lack of urgency, pointing to the prolonged absence of a deputy mayor of housing and the city's opposition to state mandates for increased housing construction. Raman also highlighted the case of fully funded affordable housing projects like Venice Dell that have faced city-led opposition and delays.
A key aspect of Raman's platform is the integration of tenant protections, such as rent control, with policies aimed at increasing housing supply. While acknowledging that some housing policy experts believe rent control can exacerbate affordability issues by reducing supply, Raman argues that in a city like Los Angeles, these two agendas are not in conflict. She posits that lower rental costs are unattainable without increased housing production and that rent stabilization for existing units is a crucial component of protecting renters.
"We can’t really lower rents unless we have more housing here, and lower rents are a big part of how you protect renters," Raman explained. She noted that in Los Angeles, housing built after 1978 is exempt from rent stabilization, which she believes allows for simultaneous protection of older units and incentivization of new construction. Raman also expressed openness to examining data on potential impacts of rent control, such as landlords exiting the market or an increase in corporate ownership, while emphasizing the ongoing need to ensure struggling renters can remain in the city.
Raman believes there is a growing public understanding that a lack of housing supply is a significant driver of housing costs. She advocates for renters to trust the city to regulate private development effectively, ensuring that new construction enhances neighborhoods rather than displacing residents. This approach, she calls "production and protection," aims to build broader support for new housing by assuring tenants they will not be displaced.
"If you see that new construction is going to displace you, I think you’re less inclined to support it or to accept it. But if you feel secure in your current housing, and you know that you’ll be able to stay there, then new housing is less of a threat and can actually be a boon for a neighborhood," Raman said. She pointed to a growing coalition, including renters' rights organizations, that are now advocating for increased density, particularly around transit hubs.
While Raman is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, which has discussed "de-commodifying" housing, her immediate focus remains on practical solutions for Angelenos. She supports publicly funded housing initiatives but acknowledges that private market development is essential to meet the extraordinary demand in Los Angeles. Raman argues that addressing the housing crisis also involves accommodating future residents and current ones, including families struggling with costs and those experiencing homelessness.
Regarding the densification of single-family neighborhoods, a major component of filling LA's housing shortage, Raman indicated a preference for gradual change. She noted that Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), duplexes, and triplexes are already contributing to densification and are often non-controversial. She anticipates that SB 79 will allow for greater density around transit hubs, leading to necessary changes in some single-family areas, which she believes can ultimately benefit homeowners through increased income or lot utilization.