A police union in Los Angeles has sharply criticized mayoral candidate Nithya Raman for her views on homelessness, releasing a new advertisement that focuses on the issue of homeless encampments near schools, which is becoming a key point in the upcoming mayoral race.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League launched a 30-second ad that features a young girl walking past homeless encampments. In the ad, Raman’s previous statements about a 500-foot buffer zone from schools for these encampments are highlighted. The ad is titled “Nithya Raman Won’t Keep Our Kids Safe,” and it includes the girl expressing her concerns about safety while going to school.
“Walking to school shouldn’t be scary. Bad things can happen. I see things I’m not supposed to. So I keep my head down so I don’t have to look, or step on a needle,” she says while on her way to school.
This advertisement counters Raman’s earlier claims that simply having a tent 500 feet away from a school does not necessarily enhance a child’s safety. She has been against the expansion of the city’s laws prohibiting encampments, arguing that moving them does not resolve homelessness and that the city should focus on improving shelter and housing options.
According to reports, Raman has voted over 75 times against measures that would limit homeless encampments near schools, parks, and childcare centers. Her campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the ad.
In addition to the police union’s criticisms, Raman’s proposals for addressing homelessness have also come under fire. A $62.6 million initiative she supported aimed to house about 2,000 people but has faced challenges, reportedly helping only three families find stable housing by late June.
Raman has consistently spoken out against measures that would restrict encampment locations, even as new reports indicate her plans for a major expansion of her own home in Silver Lake. Despite her advocacy for affordable housing, her project to demolish her current residence and build a much larger home has raised eyebrows, generating controversy for a candidate focused on housing issues.
