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Nithya Raman

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Nithya Raman
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the Los Angeles City Council
from the 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 14, 2020
Preceded byDavid Ryu
Personal details
Born (1981-07-28) July 28, 1981 (age 44)
Kerala, India
PartyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations
Democratic Socialists of America
SpouseVali Chandrasekaran
Children2
EducationHarvard University (BS)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MUP)
Signature
WebsiteCampaign website

Nithya V. Raman (born July 28, 1981)[1] is an American urban planner, activist, and politician serving as the Los Angeles city councilmember for the 4th district since 2020. Raman, a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated incumbent councilmember David Ryu in 2020 and was re-elected in 2024.[2][3][4]

Raman is running for mayor of Los Angeles in the 2026 election.[5]

Early life and career

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Nithya Raman was born into a Tamil family in Kerala, India, and moved to Louisiana at 6 years old.[6] She earned a bachelor's degree in political theory from Harvard University then a master's degree in urban planning from MIT.[7]

After living in the United States for many years, Raman returned to her home country of India and founded the research firm Transparent Chennai. The firm's goal was to improve sanitation in the city of Chennai.[8] In 2013, Raman moved to Los Angeles and worked for the city administrative officer of Los Angeles.[7] In 2017, Raman founded and headed SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, a homelessness outreach nonprofit in Los Angeles; she also served as the executive director of Time's Up Entertainment.[7][8][9] Raman became a naturalized American citizen at the age of 22.[10]

Los Angeles City Council

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Election

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Raman declared her candidacy for the Los Angeles City Council in 2019, citing the issue of homelessness as being central to her decision to run.[11] Raman's candidacy was largely fueled by grassroots volunteers, whom she claims knocked on more than 70,000 doors before the March primary.[12] Ground Game LA, which formed following former Green Party-endorsed candidate Jessica Salans' defeat by Mitch O'Farrell in the 13th district in 2017, was credited with helping her campaign win.[13]

Raman's platform included proposed reforms to Los Angeles' housing and homelessness policy, "a new approach to public safety," and a climate change plan that she claims will get Los Angeles to carbon neutrality by 2030.[14][15][16] She has signed the Participatory Budget Pledge, an initiative put forward by Black Lives Matter LA which expresses a commitment to "holding a participatory budgeting process each budget cycle I hold elected office."[17]

In the March 3, 2020 primary, Raman faced incumbent David Ryu and screenwriter Sarah Kate Levy.[18] Ryu received 32,298 votes (44.4%), Raman received 31,502 votes (40.8%), and Sarah Kate Levy received 10,860 votes (14.1%).[19] Because no candidate received over fifty percent of the vote, Raman and Ryu advanced to the runoff election, scheduled for November 3, 2020.

In the November 2020 runoff election, Raman defeated Ryu by a 52.87% to 47.13% margin.[20] She served a four-year term as member of the City Council. Raman's victory was described as a "political earthquake" by the Los Angeles Times.[21] Raman's victory over Ryu was the first time an incumbent city councilmember in Los Angeles to be successfully primaried by an opponent in 17 years.[22]

Re-election

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In 2024, Raman was challenged by Ethan Weaver, a Deputy City Attorney who received support from local landlords, business groups, and police and firefighter unions.[23] She won the election in the primary in March 2024, skipping a November runoff by winning 50.6% of the vote outright, versus 38.6% for Weaver, her nearest opponent.[24]

Tenure

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Raman (in brown coat) with other City Council members during a parade in 2023

In April 2021, Raman proposed amendments to a draft ordinance on tenant harassment. The amendments classified cash buyout offers and threats to report false information to law enforcement as forms of harassment, and included a rent adjustment penalty, which would prevent landlords who violate the ordinance from raising a unit's rent.[25] The ordinance was passed in June 2021.[26]

In June 2021, Raman was served with a recall notice after only six months in office.[27] The Los Angeles Times referred to the notice as part of a "recall fever" striking California, as at least 68 other active recalls were then ongoing in the state, including the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom.[28] In September 2021 the recall campaign collapsed when proponents announced that they were unable to collect the required number of signatures within the allotted time.[29]

On February 1, 2022, Raman was appointed to the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District by Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti. She replaced councilmember Joe Buscaino. She pledged to prioritize public health and environmental justice from that position.[30] Shortly after she declared her candidacy for mayor in February 2026, it was revealed that Mayor Bass had removed Raman from the board a month prior. Environmental activists speculated that Bass might have been displeased with Raman's push for a "more aggressive" approach to enforcing environmental regulations.[31]

In 2021 and 2022, Raman was one of three councilmembers to vote against L.A.M.C. Section 41.18, a city ordinance that banned homeless encampments within 500 feet of schools and daycare centers.[32] 41.18 was adopted by the City Council by a vote of 11–3, over the objections of activists who protested the measure in the Council chamber.[33] In remarks in a City Council meeting, Raman argued that the measure "creates a district by district arms-race, where people will get pushed around from district to district instead of having a citywide strategy that prioritizes intervention in encampments by need, by safety, by fire risk, by all of the things that we are claiming to be so concerned about. In the end, this will just push people around again. It's not going to solve homelessness or get anybody into housing."[34]

A leaked recording between Council President Nury Martinez, Councilmembers Kevin de León and Gil Cedillo, as well as Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera revealed the group's plan to use redistricting to oust Raman. Speaking of Raman, Cedillo stated that "There's certain people who don't merit us rescuing them...She's not our ally, she's not going to help us" and de León proposed to put her district "in a blender, chop it up left or right."[35] The group planned to split the Koreatown neighborhood, a voting bloc for Raman, so that minority voters in her renters' district would be divided and she would face a tougher reelection.[36][37] After the conversation was leaked, Raman introduced a measure to ask voters to change the city charter so that redistricting would be handled by an independent commission.[38][39]

In June 2023, during a protest led by UNITE HERE Local 11 to support local hotel workers, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Raman after she refused to disperse.[40]

She was the Council's assistant president pro tempore, succeeding Bob Blumenfield, from January 28, 2025, to April 14, 2026, when then-Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson replaced her with Councilmember John Lee.[41]

In November 2025, city council passed a motion authored by Raman that capped maximum annual rent increase for rent-stabilized apartments, which house nearly half of the city's residents, at 4%. This change was the first time the city's rent stabilization ordinance had been strengthened in 40 years.[42]

2026 Los Angeles mayoral campaign

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On February 7, 2026, Raman announced that she would challenge incumbent Karen Bass in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election.[5] The Los Angeles Times labeled it a "surprise bid", pointing out that the announcement was made hours before the candidate filing deadline, and that Raman had endorsed Bass for re-election just weeks before.[43] The Los Angeles Police Protective League, who have endorsed Bass and opposed Raman's candidacy in 2020 and 2024, claimed that "if political backstabbing were a crime, Nithya Raman would be a wanted fugitive."[43] Bass herself called Raman's candidacy "a surprise", but declined to label it as betrayal.[43]

Raman's campaign has largely focused on increasing housing production in Los Angeles, improving city services, and revitalizing Los Angeles's film industry. She has voiced her dissatisfaction with Inside Safe, Bass's program to move homeless people off the street and criticized the program as fiscally unsustainable and that it produced "very different outcomes and hugely differential costs."[44]

Raman has criticized Bass for not doing enough to increase film production in Los Angeles and actions such as only appointing a liaison between the city and the film industry over two and a half years into Bass's mayoralty.[45][46] Bass's campaign has criticized Raman for recusing herself from four of seven votes on motions in city council to streamline film production.[47] Raman recused herself to avoid a potential conflict of interest, as her husband, Vali Chandrasekaran, works in the film industry.[48]

Political positions

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Housing

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In 2024, amid a housing shortage in Los Angeles, Raman proposed to permit mid-sized apartment buildings near public transit stations in some neighborhoods zoned exclusively for single-family houses.[49] The proposal was rejected by a 10–5 margin in the City Council, instead pursuing larger apartment buildings in already dense urban areas.[49]

In August 2025, Raman voted against a city council resolution to formally oppose California Senate Bill 79, a bill which overrides local zoning to allow multifamily housing near transit stops.[50]

In January 2026, Raman introduced a motion to reform Measure ULA, also known as the "Mansion Tax," in city council. The voter-approved measure, often referred to as the "mansion tax", introduced a tax on property sales valued at over $5.3million USD.[43] Raman, who supported the measure's passage in 2022, said that it had become a "major obstacle" to building new housing.[43] Additionally, Raman called revenue from the measure "an absolutely essential resource" and warned that, without reform, attempts to repeal the measure entirely were more likely to succeed.[51] Joe Donlin, director of United to House LA, opposed reform and said repeal of ULA was one of many "boogymen trotted out to try to scare the public into giving tax breaks for developers."[52] In April 2026, a statewide initiative to repeal Measure ULA qualified for the November ballot.[53]

Armenia and Artsakh

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In response to the September 2022 Armenia–Azerbaijan clashes, Raman issue a statement "stand[ing] with the Armenian community in Los Angeles, and with Armenians worldwide, in strongly condemning Azerbaijan's unprovoked military attacks against civilians."[54]

Raman has condemned Azerbaijan's 2022–2023 blockade of the Republic of Artsakh, stating that "[t]his is not an isolated incident". She urged the Biden administration to use diplomacy to end the conflict.[55]

Israel-Palestine

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In November 2023, Raman adjourned a city council meeting to memorialize "the many civilian lives that have now been lost in Gaza." In June 2024, she and Councilmembers Hernandez and Soto-Martinez introduced a municipal resolution to call for an "immediate and permanent ceasefire" in Gaza.[56]

In 2024, Raman received the endorsement of Democrats for Israel-Los Angeles, an organization that describes itself as "pro-Israel voice across all of Los Angeles County to the Democratic Party."[57] She was censured by the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America for this, although her endorsement for re-election was maintained.[58] However, for the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral election, DFI-LA has endorsed Raman's opponent Karen Bass as of April 2026.[59]

Personal life

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Raman was born in India and immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of six.[60]

Raman resides in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. She is married to television screenwriter Vali Chandrasekaran, a fellow Harvard alumnus. The two have twins, Karna and Kaveri.[61]

Electoral history

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Los Angeles City Council District 4, 2020
Primary election
Candidate Votes %
David Ryu (incumbent) 32,298 44.4
Nithya Raman 31,502 40.8
Sarah Kate Levy 10,860 14.1
Total votes 72,219 100.00
General election
Nithya Raman 70,317 52.87
David Ryu (incumbent) 62,682 47.13
Total votes 132,999 100.00
Los Angeles City Council District 4, 2024
Candidate Votes %
Nithya Raman (incumbent) 32,562 50.67
Ethan Weaver 24,799 38.59
Levon Baronian 6,899 10.74
Total votes 64,260 100.00

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Lerno, Tina (March 30, 2021). "The Women of the Los Angeles City Council: Part Five". Los Angeles Public Library. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ^ ""The System That We Have to Respond to Homelessness Is Not One That Was Designed to Help People."". jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  3. ^ "He ran as a City Hall reformer. His rivals say he's fallen short on homelessness". Los Angeles Times. January 27, 2020.
  4. ^ Stein, Jeff (August 5, 2017). "9 questions about the Democratic Socialists of America you were too embarrassed to ask". Vox. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Cowan, Jill; Hubler, Shawn (February 7, 2026). "Rising Progressive Star Shakes Up Race for Los Angeles Mayor". New York Times. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  6. ^ "'അഭിമാനം ഈ പെൺകൊടികൾ'; ഒരാഴ്ചയ്ക്കിടെ ലോകമാധ്യമങ്ങളുടെ തലക്കെട്ടിൽ നിറഞ്ഞ മൂന്ന് മലയാളി വനിതകൾ". News18 (in Malayalam). November 12, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c Specter, Emma (October 29, 2020). "Meet Nithya Raman, the L.A. City Council Candidate Who Is Trying to Solve the City's Homelessness Crisis". Vogue. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Pinheiro, Erin Hickey (30 January 2020). "Who's Running Against Ryu? Nithya Raman". Los Feliz Ledger. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  9. ^ Hipes, Patrick (August 16, 2019). "Time's Up Entertainment Executive Director Nithya Raman Exits Post".
  10. ^ "VOTING ENDS TOMORROW!". cd4.lacity.gov. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  11. ^ "I'm running for LA City Council in District 4. Here's why". Twitter. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Incumbent David Ryu could face November runoff in race for LA City Council's District 4 seat". Los Angeles Daily News. March 3, 2020.
  13. ^ Denkmann, Libby (11 November 2020). "How Nithya Raman And Other Progressive Campaigns Beat The LA Establishment — And What's Next". LAist. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  14. ^ "Housing and Homelessness Platform". Nithya for the City. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  15. ^ "A New Approach to Public Safety in LA". Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  16. ^ Raman, Nithya. "What Future Are We Building in LA?". Nithya For the City. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  17. ^ "Participatory Budget Pledge". 6 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Los Feliz Ledger - "Who's Running Against David Ryu? Profile on Challenger Sarah Kate Levy"". Archived from the original on 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  19. ^ "Official LA County vote tally" (PDF). Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder / County Clerk. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  20. ^ "Election Results".
  21. ^ "Nithya Raman inspires progressives as she holds significant lead in L.A. council race". Los Angeles Times. 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  22. ^ Zahniser, David (November 6, 2020). "Urban planner Nithya Raman unseats Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu". Los Angeles Times.
  23. ^ Kiszla, Cameron (February 13, 2024). "Big money being spent to defeat incumbent L.A. City Council member". KTLA 5 News. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  24. ^ Zahniser, David (12 March 2024). "L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman wins reelection as Ethan Weaver concedes". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  25. ^ Draughorne, Kenan. "Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance Amended Before Council Meeting". MSN News.
  26. ^ "LA City Council adopts ordinance aimed to stop landlords from harassing tenants". Fox 11 Los Angeles. City News Service. June 23, 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Raman recall moving forward". The Eastsider. June 11, 2021.
  28. ^ Wick, Julia (June 11, 2021). "Recall fever strikes California as angry voters take on politicians in large numbers". Los Angeles Times.
  29. ^ Zahniser, David (17 September 2021). "Recall bid targeting L.A. City Councilwoman Nithya Raman collapses". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  30. ^ Linton, Joe (2022-02-01). "Councilmember Nithya Raman Appointed to So Cal Air Quality Board". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  31. ^ Goldberg, Noah; Zahniser, David (2026-02-28). "Mayor Karen Bass is dropping Nithya Raman from the AQMD board. The reasons are under wraps". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  32. ^ "Official action of the Los Angeles city council" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-08-06.
  33. ^ "L.A. cracks down on homeless encampments near schools, over protesters' jeers". Los Angeles Times. 2022-08-02. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  34. ^ "COUNCILMEMBER NITHYA RAMAN REMARKS FROM TODAY'S LA CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON REVISED CITY ORDINANCE 41.18". LA City Council District 4. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  35. ^ "'This commission has f—ing gone rogue'". Los Angeles Times. October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  36. ^ "Councilmembers planned to divide Koreatown, according to leaked discussion". KCBS-TV. October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  37. ^ Walker, Alissa (October 13, 2022). "Why Is the Los Angeles City Council So Afraid of Renters?". Curbed. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  38. ^ Cowan, Jill; Hubler, Shawn (October 12, 2022). "Los Angeles City Councilwoman Resigns Amid Uproar Over Racist Remarks". New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  39. ^ Chiotakis, Steve (October 12, 2022). "Nithya Raman wants to stop self-interested political manipulation". KCRW. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  40. ^ Wick, Julia; Childs, Jeremy; Martinez, Christian (June 22, 2023). "L.A. City Council members, California assemblywoman arrested as hotel workers protest". Los Angeles Times.
  41. ^ "Los Angeles City Council Agenda, April 14, 2026". Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  42. ^ Goldberg, Noah (November 12, 2025). "In historic vote, L.A. caps rent increases for rent-stabilized apartments at 4%". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  43. ^ a b c d e "Bass helped Raman win reelection. Now Raman wants to unseat her. Some call it 'a betrayal'". Los Angeles Times. 15 February 2026. Archived from the original on 17 February 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  44. ^ Schrank, Aaron (2026-04-08). "LA mayoral candidate Raman proposes homelessness plan that includes scaling back Inside Safe". LAist. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  45. ^ X (2025-08-28). "After lengthy delay, Mayor Bass names new film liaison for Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  46. ^ Baum, Gary (2026-04-24). "Hollywood Supported L.A. Mayoral Candidate Nithya Raman. Has She Returned the Favor?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  47. ^ @KarenBassLA (April 24, 2026). "In March 2026, her colleague Adrin Nazarian brought a 7-motion film reform package to the floor. Raman recused herself from 4 of the 7 votes. Why? "Raman didn't specify why she recused herself" That's not leadership" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  48. ^ City News Service (2026-04-21). "Nithya Raman outlines plan to support film production". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  49. ^ a b LAist (2024-12-11). "Facing need for more housing, L.A.'s City Council votes to keep new apartments away from homeowners". Boyle Heights Beat.
  50. ^ "Denser housing near transit stops? L.A. City Council opposes state bill". LA Times. 20 August 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  51. ^ Dillon, Liam; Holden, Lindsey (2026-02-02). "Inside LA's 'mansion tax' brawl". POLITICO. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  52. ^ Christopher, Ben (2026-01-27). "Los Angeles won't be tweaking its 'mansion tax.' Now the debate is likely to go statewide". CalMatters. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  53. ^ Wagner, David (2026-04-22). "Measure to overturn LA's 'mansion tax' heads to ballot. Here's what voters should know for November". LAist. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  54. ^ "'I stand with Armenian community': Los Angeles City Council member condemns Azerbaijan's unprovoked attacks". Armenpress. 15 September 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  55. ^ "Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman Condemns Azerbaijan's Blockade of Artsakh". Oragark. 28 December 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  56. ^ Chou, Elizabeth (2024-09-05). "A ceasefire resolution in Los Angeles? Here's where it stands". LA Public Press. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  57. ^ "Democrats for Israel Los Angeles - Home". www.dfi-la.org. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  58. ^ Keene, Louis (2024-02-01). "Only in LA: DSA councilmember who called for ceasefire wins pro-Israel backing, riling left-wing supporters". The Forward. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  59. ^ "Endorsements - Election Candidates Endorsed by DFI-Los Angeles". www.dfi-la.org. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  60. ^ Rohit, Parimal M. "Nithya Raman Campaigns for LA City Council, Hoping to Eradicate Homelessness, Broaden Political Umbrella". India West. Archived from the original on 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
  61. ^ Raghunathan, Nimmi (December 11, 2020). "Nithya Raman: An Indian American Progressive Makes History in Los Angeles". India West. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
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