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· collected 2026-08-28 · by Alec Schemmel
Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing online mockery for celebrating a newly painted neighborhood crosswalk that took nine months to complete. Critics, including Richard Grenell and former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, are ridiculing her for touting what they consider basic city services as major accomplishments. The project was first raised by the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council late last year, but Raman's office did not provide specifics on the cost, timeline, or safety improvements made beyond the painted markings. Grenell and others have compared the project to "street infrastructure" that is laughably minor.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-28,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing online mockery for celebrating the completion of a neighborhood crosswalk project. The project, which was first proposed by the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council in November 2022, involved painting 7 yellow stripes over a cracked street. Critics, including former L.A. mayoral candidate and reality TV star Spencer Pratt, have poked fun at Raman for touting this as an accomplishment, with some calling her standards "incredibly low." The project took 9 months to complete, and many pointed out that it didn't even fix the underlying street issues. The online backlash was swift, with several prominent figures weighing in on social media, including Richard Grenell, a former presidential envoy. Raman's post featured before-and-after images and thanked her field team for their work, but critics saw it as an example of "glossy 'street infrastructure' rollout" for what they considered a basic city service.
Written for “Basic City Services Are Unusual” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.35 for article 2951 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-08-28
A Los Angeles councilwoman’s celebration of a newly painted neighborhood crosswalk has drawn online mockery after critics seized on the months-long timeline and glossy "street infrastructure" rollout for what they said amounted to a basic city service.
asserted
they → paint → service
Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing online mockery after celebrating the completion of a neighborhood crosswalk project, which was first raised by the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council late last year, in a post on X. The post featured before-and-after images and thanked her field team for "continuing to problem-solve, push for solutions, and make our streets safer."
asserted
streets → face → solutions
Your standards are so incredibly low," responded Richard Grenell, Presidential Envoy for Special Missions amid Donald Trump's second term.
asserted
Grenell → respond → term
"They didn’t even fix the street, they painted over cracks.
asserted
they → fix → cracks
And it took them a year…..
asserted
it → take → year
Nithya Raman's big accomplishment is taking 9 months to paint 7 yellow stripes over a cracked street?" quipped former L.A. mayoral candidate and reality television star Spencer Pratt.
asserted
Pratt → take → street
"How dumb do you have to be to post this?
asserted
you → have → this
"
"This is beyond parody," responded conservative commentator Ben Shapiro.
asserted
Shapiro → respond → parody
Make her mayor!"
asserted
her → make → ?
"They're calling it the most ambitious infrastructure project since the Golden Gate Bridge," added the Manhattan Institute's Chris Rufo.
asserted
Rufo → call → Bridge
Fox News Digital reached out to Raman’s office and Pratt for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
asserted
Digital → reach → publication
Raman’s announcement labeled the work "Improving Our Neighborhood Street Infrastructure" and included before-and-after photos showing yellow crosswalk markings across the cracked roadway.
asserted
announcement → label → roadway
She said the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council had brought the issue to her office in late 2025.
asserted
Council → say → 2025
The post did not specify the project’s cost, when physical work began, which city department performed it or whether the work involved safety improvements beyond the painted markings.
asserted
work → specify → markings
