Nithya Raman

Nithya V. Raman (born July 28, 1981) is an Indian 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, India, and moved to Louisiana at 6 years old. She earned a bachelor's degree in political theory from Harvard University then a master's degree in urban planning from MIT.

Career

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. Prior to entering politics, Raman founded and headed a homelessness nonprofit in Los Angeles and was the executive director of Time's Up Entertainment.

Los Angeles City Council

Election

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. Raman's candidacy was largely fueled by grassroots volunteers, whom she claims knocked on more than 70,000 doors before the March primary. 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.

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. 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."

In the March 3, 2020 primary, Raman faced incumbent David Ryu''.

Re-election

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, and Levon Baronian. 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.

Tenure

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. The ordinance was passed in June 2021.

In June 2021, Raman was served with a recall notice after only six months in office. 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. 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.

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.

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. 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. 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."

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." 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. 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.

In June 2023, during a protest led by UNITE HERE Local 11, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Raman after she refused to disperse.

On February 3, 2024, Raman was censured by the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America for seeking and accepting an endorsement by the Los Angeles chapter of the Zionist lobby group Democrats for Israel. However, she maintained her endorsement by the DSA Los Angeles chapter.

Political positions

Homelessness and housing issues

Raman identified herself as a "homelessness nonprofit leader" when she first ran for office in 2020. In 2024 Karen Bass, the Mayor of Los Angeles, endorsed Nithya Raman's campaign for reelection, and her work on homeless issues.

Raman has made her work on homelessness a cornerstone of her reelection campaign, drawing praise from advocates, nonprofit groups and many of her colleagues.

In Raman's view the situation of the homeless is directly linked to the housing shortage. Specifically responding to citizen complaints about the homeless encampments in the Cahuenga area of Hollywood, she acknowledged the difficulty of finding a room indoors acceptable to the homeless, later stating, "We do not have the shelter resources we need for our homeless population."

City officials here have limited discretion. Since the '' Martin v. Boise'' (2018) decision by the Ninth Circuit, the involuntary clearing homeless encampments by municipalities in its jurisdiction may be considered "cruel and unusual punishment" and thus unconstitutional.

"Bass and Raman have embraced a similar strategy: Send outreach workers and other specialists... to make offers of motel rooms, hotel rooms and other types of temporary housing... ." The homeless may then either voluntarily accept or reject such offers. Raman claims success in clearing encampments in Los Feliz, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, among a dozen other spots in her district.

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

Armenia and Artsakh

In response to the September 2022 Armenia–Azerbaijan clashes, Raman stated "I stand with the Armenian community in Los Angeles, and with Armenians worldwide, in strongly condemning Azerbaijan's unprovoked military attacks against civilians. I have the privilege to represent a vast, vibrant Armenian community in the Fourth District, so many of whom have welcomed me as their representative with open arms — and I deeply share in their sadness and anger. This senseless violence must end, and I join in loudly calling for Congress to halt all military aid to Azerbaijan."

Raman has condemned Azerbaijan's 2022–2023 blockade of the Republic of Artsakh, stating that "This is not an isolated incident and is a reflection of Azerbaijan's systematic policies that are forcing indigenous Armenians out of their ancestral homeland. Azerbaijan will continue to engage in acts of war against Artsakh and Armenia until the international community holds it responsible for its actions against the only thriving democracy in the region. We have the responsibility to ensure the safety of these peaceful nations from their hostile neighbors. I urge the Biden Administration to use all available diplomatic tools, including withholding financial support, to end the blockade."

Personal life

Raman was born in India and emigrated to the United States with her family at the age of six.

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.

Electoral history

See also

*List of Democratic Socialists of America who have held office in the United States

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raman, Nithya
1981 births
21st-century California politicians
American activists
American people of Malayali descent
American urban planners
California Democrats
California politicians of Indian descent
Harvard College alumni
Indian emigrants to the United States
Living people
Los Angeles City Council members
Members of the Democratic Socialists of America from California
MIT School of Architecture and Planning alumni
People from Kerala
Women from Kerala