Nithya Raman

Nithya, a native of Kerala, India, relocated to the United States at the age of six. With an impressive educational background including degrees from Harvard and training in urban planning at MIT, she embarked on a journey to combat extreme poverty and advocate for basic necessities such as water, plumbing, and shelter in Delhi and Chennai. Eventually settling in Los Angeles, she played a vital role in addressing the city's growing homelessness crisis by co-founding the SELAH neighborhood homelessness coalition.

Through her extensive volunteer work, Nithya observed numerous gaps in LA's systems and tirelessly engaged with local officials to propose improvements. Unfortunately, she often found that her efforts were not met with tangible actions. Fueled by her passion for a more responsive local government, Nithya made the decision to run for city council in 2020. Running a grassroots campaign, she achieved the remarkable feat of unseating an incumbent candidate.

Since taking office, Nithya has spearheaded a transformative approach to homelessness in her district. She has significantly expanded outreach initiatives, as well as shelter and housing resources, leading to the first reduction in homelessness rates since 2016. Furthermore, her office has successfully authored and passed groundbreaking legislation, including the most substantial expansion of tenant protections in Los Angeles within the past four decades. Additionally, she advocated for a carbon-free mandate on all new development projects.

With unfinished work on her agenda, Nithya is currently running for re-election, determined to continue making positive changes in Los Angeles.