Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, 72, is seeking a second term in the Nov. 3 election after being forced into a runoff by City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a former ally. Bass, who became the city’s first female mayor in 2022 by defeating billionaire developer Rick Caruso, spoke candidly about her tenure, addressing both her accomplishments and criticisms.
A seasoned politician and former speaker of the California State Assembly as well as a congresswoman, Bass focused much of her administration’s energy on tackling homelessness and strengthening the Los Angeles Police Department’s workforce. During her term, she expedited affordable housing projects through changes in city regulations, resulting in the construction of more affordable units over the past four years than in many previous years combined. She credited streamlined approval processes for fast-tracking these housing developments.
Bass acknowledged that one of her biggest missteps was her absence from the city during the January 2025 Palisades fire, as she was in Ghana when the blaze erupted amid high wind warnings. She explained that although city and county officials had been briefed on the risks, the situation was not treated as a crisis until the fire intensified. Reflecting on the incident, Bass said, “If you’re out of town and a family member is hurt or sick, it doesn’t matter where you are or why you were out of town. What matters is you weren’t there when your family needed it. And the city is my family.”
Her relationship with Councilmember Nithya Raman has notably deteriorated, with Bass expressing surprise over Raman’s mayoral challenge. Bass criticized Raman for what she described as a failure to adequately serve her own constituents and said she was blindsided by Raman’s decision to run for mayor despite previously endorsing her.
On public safety, Bass attributed slower-than-expected growth in police department staffing to complications in recruitment and hiring processes, despite the availability of funding and recruitment efforts. She voiced concern over ongoing police retirements but defended the pay raises she negotiated to retain officers.
Bass also opposed Senate Bill 79, which mandates taller, denser buildings near transit stations, advocating for a more community-centered approach to housing development rather than imposing top-down mandates.
Regarding the city’s recovery from recent wildfires, Bass acknowledged progress but noted ongoing challenges, including delays in utility hookups by the Department of Water and Power and difficulties facing residents with insurance and banking claims. She led a delegation to Sacramento to advocate for legislative fixes addressing these recovery hurdles.
Bass highlighted the Inside Safe program as a successful initiative for housing homeless individuals and credited it as a key part of the city’s efforts to reduce street homelessness.
Reflecting on her time in office, Bass expressed admiration for the leadership of her predecessors and called her proudest achievement “getting people off the streets and saving lives.”