LA mayoral debate focuses on homelessness, housing and safety

Less than a month away from the primary election on June 2nd, the first City of Los Angeles mayoral debate took place on Wednesday, with a few punches thrown from each candidate, but without a clear leader emerging.

The debate, hosted by NBC and Telemundo, included incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, L.A. City Councilwoman Nithya Raman and reality television personality Spencer Pratt. 

The topics of safety, homelessness, immigration and housing were present throughout the debate. 

A heated part of the debate was the topic of homelessness, when the moderator asked the candidates if unhoused people should be forced to move to an indoor location if there is a bed or shelter available.

Pratt said it's illegal to live on the street. “So yes, everyone needs to go inside.” 

Mayor Bass agreed that everybody needs to have a roof over their head, but clarified it is illegal to arrest people because they are unhoused.

Raman agreed that people need to go inside when there is availability.

However, Pratt and Raman agreed that the Bass-led Inside Safe program has been failing despite Bass defending it and announcing that it has helped decrease the number of unhoused people by 17%. 

“Inside Safe is the only citywide program that we have had that has reduced homelessness two years in a row. Prior to that, there was no city-wide strategy, and homelessness was going up year after year,” said Bass.

Raman said in response that not many people are happy with the extra spending of money in the homelessness response, “and getting only incremental progress.”

Pratt said of the program: "Inside safe Makes all of us outside unsafe” because people are not interested in the help provided, mainly those who have severe addictions. 

“The DEA statistics says 93% of this is a drug addiction problem,” said Pratt. 

The TV reality actor, who has never held office, also criticized Councilwoman Raman’s plan for treatment first. 

“I will go below the Harbor Freeway tomorrow with her, and we can find some of these people she's going to offer treatment for. She's going to get stabbed in the neck,” he said. 

On public safety

Raman said she wants to maintain the Los Angeles Police Department's force at its current 8,550 officers and supports efforts to repair street lights and broken sidewalks to make the city safer.

Both Bass and Pratt again agreed on the need to hire more police officers. Bass has called to increase the force up to 9,500, while Pratt said he would work to increase police hiring above 12,000.

Raman blamed Bass for approving a costly, budget-busting contract with the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing LAPD officers, the rank of lieutenant and below, which led to a nearly $1 billion deficit in the current fiscal year. As a result, Raman says the city has had to make difficult choices about what programs and services get funded.

Bass defended her decision, citing that Los Angeles needs to stay competitive compared to other municipal jurisdictions seeking to hire new recruits.

The topic immigration kept to a minimum

While the direct topic on ICE raids was absent, the candidates addressed the topic of immigration in general. Bass and Raman said they may support a proposal before the City Council to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. 

“They could have green cards, they could be here perfectly legal, and there's a lot of states and cities that do that on very local elections,'' Bass said.

Pratt said he wouldn’t support it. 

Bass said she deserved a second term to continue progress made on homelessness, housing and public safety; Pratt characterized himself as the candidate who would drastically change City Hall, address corruption and get the city on track; and Raman said she would be the one to address the status quo and make tangible decisions on housing and affordability, among other key areas.

The next mayoral debate is scheduled for May 13 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. The event is hosted by FOX11 in partnership with the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs and the League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles.

With information from CNS.