A voter guide to public safety, homelessness, housing, the local economy, and immigration — and why these issues matter to Los Angeles communities
As Los Angeles approaches the 2026 election year, Latino voters will once again hear bold promises about fixing the city’s biggest challenges: public safety, homelessness, housing costs, jobs, small businesses, and immigration.
For many in our community, these are not distant policy debates. They affect whether we feel safe walking to work, whether rent keeps rising faster than wages, whether small businesses survive, and whether immigrant families feel protected or targeted.
At Parriva, we do not endorse candidates. Our mission is to help the Latino community understand what elected officials can realistically do, what they cannot, and how to listen carefully when campaign messages sound simple—but the problems are not.
This guide is meant to support informed voting by explaining the limits of political power and the complexity behind the city’s most urgent issues.
Common Campaign Claims to Be Skeptical Of
Every election brings confident slogans. Some are well-intentioned. Others leave out critical context.
“I’ll fix crime and restore safety.”
Public and business safety matters deeply to families and workers. But no single official controls the full system.
Police respond to incidents, but they do not control:
- Courts and judges
- Prosecutors’ decisions
- Bail and sentencing laws
- Mental health and addiction treatment
- Long-term housing placement
When safety is discussed as a one-step fix, important realities are being ignored.
“We just need to be tougher.”
“Toughness” without coordination often leads to short-term action without long-term results.
Arrests alone do not:
- Stabilize mental illness
- Treat substance use disorders
- Prevent people from cycling back into crisis
- Address why small businesses face repeat incidents
Enforcement without follow-through can look decisive—but feel ineffective over time.
“This is caused by one bad policy.”
Homelessness, housing costs, public safety, and economic strain are the result of many decisions over many years, across city, county, state, and federal governments.
There is no single vote or ordinance that solves:
- Housing shortages
- Street homelessness
- Cost-of-living pressures
- Workforce instability
Simple explanations rarely match complex realities.
“The city can solve this by itself.”
Many of the most powerful tools affecting daily life are not controlled by the city alone.
Los Angeles operates inside a system shaped by:
- Los Angeles County
- California state law
- Federal immigration policy
- Regional housing markets
When candidates suggest full control, voters should ask: Control over what, exactly?
What City Leaders Actually Control—and What They Don’t
Understanding the scope of local power helps residents set realistic expectations.
What City Leaders Can Influence
- Funding police, fire, sanitation, and outreach teams
- Street lighting, infrastructure, and neighborhood improvements
- Support for small businesses and commercial corridors
- Coordination between departments and agencies
- Pilot programs for housing, safety, and economic development
What City Leaders Cannot Control Alone
- Immigration enforcement or federal policy
- State criminal law, bail, and sentencing
- Speed of housing construction
- County-run health and mental health systems
- Broader economic forces like inflation or interest rates
Honest leadership explains these limits instead of hiding them.
Why Single-Solution Promises Fall Short
Public and Business Safety
Police are essential for emergency response and deterrence, but safety also depends on:
- Courts functioning efficiently
- Access to mental health care
- Stable housing
- Prevention and intervention programs
Without all parts working together, problems repeat.
Homelessness
Street homelessness is often linked to:
- Severe mental illness
- Addiction
- Lack of affordable housing
- Gaps in treatment and follow-up care
Cities can fund outreach and shelter, but long-term solutions require county health systems, housing supply, and state support.
Housing Affordability
Housing costs are driven by:
- Limited supply
- Zoning and permitting timelines
- Construction costs
- Regional demand
Even strong local policies take years—not months—to show results.
The Local Economy
Small businesses depend on:
- Consumer confidence
- Workforce availability
- Public safety and cleanliness
- Access to capital and support
No mayor or councilmember can control the entire economy—but they can influence conditions.
Immigration
Immigration policy is primarily federal, not local.
Cities may:
- Set local enforcement priorities
- Fund legal aid or community programs
- Coordinate with service providers
But they cannot change:
- Visa systems
- Border policy
- Federal enforcement laws
Promises that suggest otherwise deserve scrutiny.
The Complexity Campaigns Rarely Explain
- Multiple Systems Must Work Together
Most core community issues involve coordination between:
- City departments
- County agencies
- State law
- Federal policy
When one system fails, residents feel the impact immediately.
- Real Change Takes Time
- New programs take months to launch
- Housing and infrastructure take years
- Economic recovery is gradual
Campaign messaging favors speed. Governance requires patience.
- Trade-Offs Are Real
Every proposal involves:
- Cost
- Legal challenges
- Community disagreement
- Workforce limitations
Anyone promising solutions without trade-offs is oversimplifying.
How the Community Can Approach Voting in 2026
Ask Deeper Questions
Instead of:
“How will you fix this?”
Consider asking:
- “What authority does your office actually have?”
- “Who do you need to work with to make this happen?”
- “How will progress be measured over time?”
- “What happens if the first approach doesn’t work?”
Leaders with substance welcome these questions.
Substance vs. Slogans
Substance looks like:
- Acknowledging limits
- Explaining coordination
- Referencing data and timelines
- Accepting incremental progress
Slogans sound like:
- Absolute certainty
- One-issue solutions
- Blame without accountability
- Instant transformation promises
Los Angeles’ challenges affect Latino families, workers, entrepreneurs, and immigrants in different ways—but they are deeply connected.
Voting with clarity means understanding:
- What government can realistically do
- Why change is often slow
- How to separate leadership from performance
An informed community is harder to mislead—and better prepared to demand accountability.
That understanding is power.
This article is part of Parriva’s 2026 voter education coverage. Parriva does not endorse candidates or parties.
