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Los Angeles is about to test a new kind of housing politics
Los Angeles has elected Nithya Raman mayor after Karen Bass lost her bid for re-election, putting the city’s housing shortage at the centre of a new political test. Raman, a progressive and prominent supporter of building more homes, will face pressure to turn her criticism of city policy into action in a city where the mayor has limited direct authority.
Los Angeles has the highest home-price-to-household-income ratio among large US cities and the second fewest homes per adult among major cities. Bass initially fast-tracked approval for developments made up entirely of affordable homes, helping more than 7,700 apartments reach construction, but later narrowed the policy after neighbourhood opposition; a judge ruled that applying one restriction to earlier applicants broke state law. The article also says Bass opposed California’s 2025 law requiring denser housing near public transport.
In short
- Nithya Raman has won Los Angeles’s mayoral election.
- Housing supply and affordability are central challenges.
- Bass’s affordable housing fast-track produced over 7,700 apartments under construction.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Raman’s election offers Los Angeles a chance to address a severe housing shortage by making it easier to build more homes, including affordable housing and denser development near public transport. Supporters can argue that the scale of the shortage calls for consistent rules and that neighbourhood objections should not be allowed to stall projects that meet public needs.
The case against
A mayor also has to weigh housing goals against the effects of rapid development on existing neighbourhoods, including concerns about local services, infrastructure and the character of communities. Supporters of Bass’s later limits could argue that affordable-housing fast tracks need clear, lawful rules and local scrutiny, while density mandates may not suit every area or deliver affordability on their own.