Four people running for Los Angeles mayor participated in a candidate forum on Wednesday, less than two weeks before voters will cast their ballots in the June 2 primary.
The forum was hosted by the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Los Angeles Valley College and took place at the campus’ Monarch Hall from 4 to 6 p.m.
Those in attendance included incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman, tech entrepreneur Adam Miller and community advocate Rae Huang. Former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, who was invited to the forum back in March, did not attend. Organizers say he told them Tuesday that he had a prior commitment.
They each took the stage separately and were asked similar questions. The moderator said the candidates were kept in a room where they could not hear the questions or answers of the others.
Each candidate was given 20 minutes on stage and asked to speak about a variety of topics, including homelessness and affordable housing. The candidates were vocal about how displeased they are with Bass’ Inside Safe program.
Huang: “We are spending hundreds of millions of dollars into the Inside Safe program. Those dollars, instead of a short-term band-aid solution with no end in sight, need to start to convert over into building permanent affordable housing.”
Miller: By building non-congregate housing — it could be tiny home villages, it could be other types of housing — for under $10,000 over a 20-year period, we’re talking about orders of magnitude less expensive than what we’re doing with Inside Safe.”
Raman: “We build density along our major boulevards and thoroughfares, that we are building apartments, including affordable housing, along those pathways.” And I would advocate that near transit hubs, that you could have more density.”
Meanwhile, the mayor defended the program.
“We have to move them into permanent housing quicker. I have fast-tracked the 42,000 units. Six-thousand are currently under construction now,” Bass said. “But what I do not accept and will not accept is that we leave people on the street while we’re building something.”
The candidates also discussed policing and crime, bringing business back to Hollywood and the cost of living.
Where was Pratt?
During Wednesday’s forum, Pratt was at a block party in South Los Angeles.
Since the start of Pratt’s campaign, he has released several viral videos. While he seems to have earned a lot of vocal support from people in places like his home neighborhood, the Pacific Palisades, some have wondered how he will do in other parts of town.
“He seems to be a very friendly person, so I think he’ll do great,” said undecided voter Wanda Washington, who attended the block party.
Pratt did not take questions from reporters as he spent time with dozens who gathered on 10th Avenue near Hyde Park Boulevard for the event.
His visit to South LA came just hours after President Donald Trump weighed in on Pratt’s candidacy.
“I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character. I don’t know, I don’t know him. I assume he probably supports me,” Trump said, later adding, “I heard he’s a big MAGA person. He’s doing well.”