Nithya Raman's initiative failed to house many, while a new ad from the police union highlights safety concerns for children near homeless encampments.

Published on: Sep 19, 2026, 18:53:38 IST

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A Los Angeles police union has issued a sharp critique of mayoral candidate Nithya Raman regarding her approach to homelessness, unveiling a new attack advertisement that emphasizes homeless encampments situated adjacent to schools as a central issue in the mayoral campaign.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League unveiled the 30-second advertisement on Thursday, which depicts a young girl passing by homeless encampments while Raman's previous statements concerning the city's 500-foot anti-camping buffer zone are presented.

'Nithya Raman Won't Keep Our Kids Safe' ad blasts LA mayoral candidate

The advertisement entitled “Nithya Raman Won't Keep Our Kids Safe” depicts a young child traversing past encampments housing unhoused people, serving as a visual response to Raman's previous statements wherein she asserted that a child's safety would not be enhanced “because a tent is 500-feet away from a 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,” the girl in the ad says while walking.

The advertisement is against Raman's earlier assertions that a child's safety would not necessarily be enhanced merely by virtue of a homeless encampment being situated 500 feet distant from a school. Raman has consistently opposed the expansion of the city's anti-camping ordinances, contending that the relocation of encampments fails to resolve homelessness and that the city requires enhanced shelter and housing infrastructure.

The police union asserted that Raman has cast more than 75 votes in opposition to prohibiting homeless encampments at over 500 locations proximate to schools, parks, childcare facilities, and other vulnerable sites. According to MyNewsLA, Raman's campaign did not provide an immediate response to a request for commentary.

Nithya Raman's housing plans under scrutiny amid attacks on homeless policies

According to The Post, more than 130 matters accumulated following the cancellation of every Housing and Homelessness Committee meeting throughout a five-week period spanning April and May.

A $62.6 million homeless initiative championed by Raman encountered significant difficulties, successfully housing merely three households by June 25 despite an objective to relocate approximately 2,000 people into permanent housing, according to city records examined by The Post.

She has persistently objected to municipal policies designed to limit encampments within 500 feet of schools and parks.

Nithya Raman faces criticism over reported plans to construct new dwelling

In a 2022 statement, Raman expressed her opposition to encampments adjacent to schools but contended that the establishment of supplementary restricted zones would not adequately address the fundamental underlying issues.

According to recent The Post report, Raman intends to demolish her 1,879-square-foot residence in Silver Lake and construct a substantially larger 3,528-square-foot dwelling featuring a spa facility and two-car garage.

This expansion, representing an 88% increase in square footage, has generated considerable controversy for a public official who has positioned housing affordability as a cornerstone of her political platform.

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