Many Los Angeles voters criticized the effectiveness of Mayor Karen Bass’ homelessness and policing policies when presented with her proposals, without being told which mayoral candidate supports them.
asserted
candidate → criticize → them
Bass faces widespread public dissatisfaction ahead of the November 3 mayoral election, when voters will choose between her and socialist challenger Nithya Raman.
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voters → face → her
Angelenos expressed skepticism about whether the city should continue spending hundreds of millions of dollars moving homeless people off the streets and into temporary hotels while they wait for permanent housing, as part of Bass’ signature “Inside Safe” program.
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they → express → program
“I just don’t think a hotel is the proper place for homeless people,” said Val Villanueva.
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Villanueva → think → people
“A lot of them are dealing with mental issues.
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lot → deal → issues
They’re going through withdrawals when they’re in these environments.
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they → go → environments
“I think we need to give them something a bit more structured… where there are support services readily available.
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we → think → something
Bass’ handling of homelessness is one major reason Villanueva is voting for mayoral challenger and LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
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Villanueva → vote → Raman
“She’s not really handling the homeless situation.
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She → handle → situation
She’s just kind of moving them from place to place and doing so very violently.
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She → move → place
Just police generally harassing homeless people when, you know, they’re sleeping.”
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they → harass → people
He added, “I think the city’s become quite complacent.
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city → add → ?
Adrian Guess said he supports spending taxpayer money on housing the homeless, if it also comes with “services like mental health, addiction, financial literacy education, because if you only give them housing, but you don’t do the other side, then you’re just putting a bandaid on the problem.”
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you → say → problem
Amy Zhao opposes pouring money on the problem the way Bass has done.
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Bass → oppose → problem
“I think that’s a lot of money to be spending, especially because I pay a lot taxes myself,” she said.
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she → think → taxes
“So I think there are better ways to manage the homelessness issue.
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I → think → issue
I think throwing money at it is not necessarily the best way to go about it.”
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throwing → think → it
Zhao isn’t voting this year.
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Zhao → vote → ?
When asked whether the next mayor should eventually expand the police force by around 1,000 or so officers — without knowing Bass is behind the plan — some Angelenos also felt it might be slapping a bandage on existing problems.
uncertain
it → ask → problems
“I don’t think right now the police force is being used efficiently.
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force → think → ?
I feel like right now I’m seeing a lot — at least in the area that I’m at —
really a large misuse of how the police are like even just being placed,” Villanueva said.
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Villanueva → feel → misuse
“I’m noticing a bit of aggression from them a lot of the time, which I think wouldn’t be remedied by, you know, adding 1,000 plus police officers.
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you → notice → officers
I don’t think we necessarily need more untrained officers.
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we → think → officers
We need better trained officers.”
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We → need → officers
Caitlene Navalta said the city should focus on addressing the root cause of incidents requiring police presence, instead of only punishment.
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city → say → punishment
“For example, let’s say, like, you have some youth that are going through some problems that prompt people to call the police for,” she said.
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she → say → police
“You also got to think about, okay, well, why is the youth doing this?
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youth → got → this
Like, do they have other resources they can turn to with their time?”
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they → have → time
Navalta declined to disclose who she’s voting for.
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she → decline → who
Other Angelenos were generally supportive of investing in public safety, with strings attached.
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strings → invest → safety
“I think the most important thing is just to have respect for everybody,” said Morgan Huang.
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Huang → think → everybody
“I think if they’re being responsible about how and who they’re hiring, I think there could be benefit in that,” Zhao chimed in.
uncertain
Zhao → think → that
Guess added, “I support safety for sure and I think that police are part of that safety, but I do support where police are also paired with like mental health workers, homeless workers, like social services and such.
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police → add → services
So if you are going to expand with police, you also should expand in the other areas as well.”
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you → go → areas
Voters we spoke to were generally more supportive of a couple policies we proposed from Raman, without knowing she was behind them – around increasing housing density and maintaining Airbnb restrictions in the city.
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she → speak → city
When asked whether Los Angeles should allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in neighborhoods traditionally reserved for single-family homes, Lucas Robles said, “I think it might be a good idea because overpopulation in the world is a very common trend right now.
uncertain
overpopulation → ask → world
I think we should probably build more vertically instead of horizontally.”
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we → think → ?
Robles still hasn’t decided who he’s voting for.
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he → decide → who
Zhao added, “I can’t afford a house.
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I → add → house
So, like, honestly, if it brings down, like, the price of some of those properties, like, sure.
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it → bring → properties
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
