As a leading voice in Los Angeles’ progressive city council bloc, Nithya Raman has shaped housing, tenant protections, and homelessness policy — raising questions about alliances and influence at City Hall.
Last Sunday, Nithya Raman officially launched her campaign for mayor of Los Angeles. At an event at the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center, she outlined some of her ideas for reforming the city and explained why she decided to launch a surprise bid against Mayor Karen Bass.
What stands out is her portrayal of herself as a lone fighter, battling against the establishment. For political observers, this marks the first time the councilmember and mayoral candidate has described herself as navigating City Hall “against the tide.”
“I’ve spent the last five years in City Hall, and I’ve tried so hard. My team and I have tried so hard to intervene aggressively on the most urgent issues this city is facing — our housing and homelessness crisis, building a better safety response, getting our basic services to work for people,” Raman said at the event. “But over and over again, in the building, in City Hall, I found myself running into a wall of reluctance, a reluctance to move forward with the transformative policy change that this city needs right now.”
However, this is not the impression she has given over the years she’s served on the council.
Nithya Raman joined the Los Angeles City Council on December 14, 2020, representing Council District 4. She won the seat in November 2020, defeating incumbent David Ryu — a notable victory, as no sitting councilmember had been unseated in nearly 17 years. She was reelected in 2024 for a second term.
At City Hall, Raman has generally worked as part of a progressive bloc rather than entirely on her own, forming alliances both inside the council and with labor unions and advocacy groups. Key allies in this progressive bloc have included:
-Hugo Soto-Martínez — often described as one of Raman’s closest allies.
-Eunisses Hernandez — frequently aligned on labor, housing, and policing issues.
-Ysabel Jurado — joined in late 2024, also part of the progressive group.
Together, these members have often collaborated on initiatives such as tenant protections, housing policy, and police funding.
Given her close work with these colleagues, it is surprising to hear Raman frame her struggle as an independent fight against City Hall. While she did not name individuals, her description suggests a desire to distance herself from past alliances moving forward.
Major Initiatives Co-Authored by Raman and Allies
Before Jurado joined the council, Raman, Soto-Martínez, and Hernandez frequently co-presented major motions:
-Sanctuary City Ordinance (2023) — Legislation codifying Los Angeles as a “Sanctuary City.”
-Gaza Ceasefire Resolution (2024) — Municipal resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
-Right to Counsel (2023) — Ensuring legal representation for tenants facing eviction.
-Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated (2023) — Supporting state legislation to restore voting rights for people serving felony sentences.
-Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Support (2024) — Advocating legal status for individuals from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
Other collaborative initiatives include:
-Housing Production Streamlining (2025) — Removing barriers to housing development.
-Wildlife Habitat Connectivity — Master plan for protecting regional habitats.
-Home-Sharing Enforcement (2022) — Strengthening enforcement on non-compliant short-term rentals.
-Sidewalk Repair Reform — Overhauling city sidewalk maintenance.
-Governance Reform — Expanding council size and creating independent redistricting commissions.
For a councilmember claiming to have faced a “wall” of indifference, Angelenos would need more specific examples — such as legislation blocked by Mayor Bass or votes Raman sought but did not receive.
“I see possibility everywhere and in everyone in this city. I know we can build the housing we need to make this city affordable, to bring our neighborhoods back to life,” Raman said. “We can build clear, accountable systems for homelessness and public safety, and we can show up for people when they need help in exactly the way that we need, and we can help them.”
As chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee, she has led initiatives to expand housing, protect tenants, and oversee spending — initiatives that received support from colleagues like Hugo Soto-Martínez and Eunisses Hernandez.
So the question remains: was Nithya Raman truly alone in pushing her legislative agenda, or has she been part of a broader progressive effort all along?
Awareness of Inequality Drives Nithya Raman’s Vision for L.A.
