LA City councilmember Nithya Raman’s rise to popularity and her challenge to incumbent Mayor Karen Bass has ignited comparisons to her New York City counterpart Mayor Zohran Mamdani. However, this comparison has important caveats: if elected, Raman would be leading a city where regional authority is largely divided among numerous city and county governments, rather than governing a city, like New York, with unified leadership under one mayor.
Raman’s 2020 victory for her city council spot led to an increase in progressive candidates, shifting LA’s city council more towards the left.
Both Raman and Mamdani originally rose to fame through the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) roots and have similar listings on their agenda of priorities: housing affordability, pro-tenant support, and safeguards against evictions. Mamdani’s campaign hinged on a comprehensive affordability agenda, which includes pro-tenant safeguards against eviction like rent freezes, free bus rides, city-run grocery stores and universal healthcare—items the Los Angeles DSA figures have touted as a roadmap for the city as LA residents suffer from similar housing and affordability crises. Raman has led and supported crucial pro-renter protection and housing policies, and her progressive campaign has garnered significant support from young voters similar to Mamdani’s. A poll conducted in September discovered that 66% of likely voters aged 18-29 favoured Raman as opposed to 4% for incumbent Mayor Bass, although noting that this doesn’t mean her voters would want a Zohran Mamdani copy.
These nuances make Raman’s mayoral campaign a litmus test of whether LA would want an affordability-centered agenda. However, mere campaign attractiveness doesn’t guarantee the same governance.
Raman’s agenda simultaneously demonstrates her ambition and potential influence as mayor, and where her power becomes limited. Her agenda includes redirecting spending from pricey motel installations to shared living spaces and rental vouchers, which would result in greater city autonomy over housing and homelessness contracts. Collaboration with county governments would be crucial as LA County healthcare and social services would remain outside of Raman’s scope.
Mayor Mamdani’s governance faces different obstacles. NYC’s mayor appoints and oversees the Rent Guidelines Board, which greenlights Mamdani’s promises of rent freezes; however, delivering on his promise of free buses becomes tricky as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is a state-managed agency where ultimate authority lies with the governor. Both agendas rely on collaboration with institutions outside their scope as mayor, so limits vary.
Budgeting differences also reflect the varying scales of the cities. New York City’s population was approximately 8.58 million residents in July 2025, compared to Los Angeles’ population of 3.87 million. For the 2027 fiscal year, New York City had a budget of $125.8 billion; Los Angeles sits at a mere $14.85 billion budget. However, budget allowance overall is not an indicator of success. New York City’s budget includes funding for education, social services and other government functions across the five boroughs, which fall outside the jurisdiction of the City of Los Angeles.
Inside Safe— a program that provides temporary housing for individuals living in tents and street encampments before transitioning into a permanent residence— was launched in 2022 under the direction of Mayor Karen Bass. A city report in 2023 discovered duplicate placements and inaccurate records, making it harder to audit details and follow up with Inside Safe participants who left the program. These issues are not definitive evidence that divided authority resulted in the negligence of people and their services, but rather demonstrates why reliable coordination and response across city-county lines are essential.
The need for better coordination was further exemplified in September, when the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), decided to not resume its many regional rules and renew another term. This includes measuring the annual homeless population and working with the federal government regarding funding. As the city and county scramble for what the future holds, LAHSA issued a statement warning that disunity “would only fracture regional collaboration during an already complex time.”
Raman’s mayoral candidacy may create hope for people who want a drastic change of scenery in housing and homelessness; something Mamdani has vowed to do. But we should caution ourselves before labelling her as “LA’s Mamdani” as that implies Raman would be similar to Mamdani and the power he wields.
This also doesn’t imply LA’s mayor is totally powerless or that divided jurisdiction is always negative. Joint efforts can provide checks on power and shield communities from decisions led by a single office. For example, the New York City Council works in conjunction with the Mayor’s office to approve its budget. The real issue comes when unified accountability becomes a blurry responsibility. Constituents don’t know which authorities to rely on regarding issues such as homelessness and public health.
Future candidates for the LA mayor’s office should articulate in detail which proposals fall in their scope and can pass through city government and which require city-county cooperation. For collaborative projects, agencies involved should be highlighted, and funding should be laid out clearly. Ultimately, having a concise implementation blueprint takes priority over trying to expand the jurisdiction of LA’s mayor.
