‘Nithya Raman won’t keep our kids safe’: Indian-origin LA mayoral candidate targeted in police ad over homelessness stance

Indian-origin Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman is facing criticism over her approach to homelessness, with a police union releasing a new attack ad highlighting homeless encampments near schools.The Los Angeles Police Protective League released the 30-second advertisement this week, featuring a young girl walking past a homeless encampment while clips of Raman's previous comments on the city's 500-foot anti-camping buffer play in the background.‘Walking to school shouldn’t be scary’The ad, titled “Nithya Raman Won’t Keep Our Kids Safe”, focuses on Raman's earlier remarks that a child would not necessarily be safer simply because a homeless tent was located 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 says in the advertisement.The police union said Raman has voted more than 75 times against banning homeless encampments at more than 500 locations near schools, parks, daycares and other sensitive sites.Raman has opposed expanding Los Angeles' anti-camping restrictions, arguing that simply moving encampments does not resolve homelessness and that the city needs greater investment in housing, shelter and outreach. She has also said she does not want homeless encampments near schools.Raman’s homelessness record under scrutinyThe attack ad comes as Raman's record on homelessness faces increased scrutiny in the mayoral race. A $62.6 million homelessness initiative backed by Raman housed three households by June 25 against a goal of moving roughly 2,000 people into permanent housing, according to city records cited by The Post.More than 130 matters also accumulated after Housing and Homelessness Committee meetings were cancelled over a five-week period in April and May, according to previous reports.Raman was removed as chair of the City Council's Housing and Homelessness Committee earlier this month after the committee was split into two panels. She said the move was politically motivated, a claim disputed by Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson.The latest police union ad is expected to run on television, while it is already being circulated on social media. The Los Angeles Police Protective League has provided $620,000 for the ad, with another $100,000 coming from the Los Angeles Professional Manager's Association.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.