By JOSE HERRERA, City News Service<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to restructure committees overseeing a range of government functions, with one member describing the action as \u201cpolitical punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The council voted 13-1 Tuesday in support of Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson\u2019s motion. As leader of the 15-member council, Harris-Dawson has the authority under municipal code to create and rescind committees, and to appoint or remove members.<\/p>\n
Harris-Dawson has yet to announce committee assignments, with the motion expected to take effect Aug. 31.<\/p>\n
Under the motion, the Housing and Homelessness Committee will be split into the Homelessness and Health Committee, and the Housing Committee.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the following committees will be altered:<\/p>\n
\u2014 The Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment Committee will be known as the Arts, Parks and City Facilities Committee;<\/p>\n
\u2014 The Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee will be known as the Civil Rights, Immigration, Social Services and Neighborhoods Committee;<\/p>\n
\u2014 Two new committees will be created: The Ad Hoc Committee for Charter Review and the Ad Hoc Committee for Boyle Heights Fire Recovery.<\/p>\n
Rob Quan, an organizer with the group Unrig LA, criticized the council\u2019s action.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis ship is doomed. Why are we rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? Let\u2019s get a new captain,\u201d Quan said.<\/p>\n
![\"Councilwoman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/LDN-L-HOMELESS-REAX-0725-03-SR.jpg\")
Councilwoman and LA mayoral candidate Nithya Raman holds a press conference in Studio City after Los Angeles\u2019 homeless count shows more people are living on the street in the city on Friday, July 24, 2026. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News\/SCNG)<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a basic level, I don\u2019t know why we\u2019re splitting up housing and homelessness. There is so much interrelationship between them. If we\u2019re not trying to house the homeless, then maybe that makes sense. But last time I checked, we were supposed to be. This just creates new hurdles,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
In addition to the new ad hoc committees, the motion continues special committees for unarmed crisis prevention, intervention and community services; Olympic and Paralympic Games planning; recovery of Pacific Palisades from the January 2025 fire; and a group supporting the film, entertainment and creative industry.<\/p>\n
Councilman Curren Price was absent during the meeting, with Councilwoman Nithya Raman opposing the item. There was no discussion on the matter.<\/p>\n
Raman, who is challenging Mayor Karen Bass in the November election, released a campaign video Monday, calling her pending removal as chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee \u201cpolitically motivated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI called for an audit of our homelessness programs in Los Angeles, and now I\u2019ve been removed as chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee,\u201d Raman said in the 90-second video. \u201cI might be getting punished for running against Mayor Bass, but Angelenos are the ones paying the price for these political games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris-Dawson is a close ally of Bass. A representative for his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
The council president told NBC4 that \u201cIt\u2019s hardly a punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something to make the council functional and to put the council in the position to answer some very key questions between now and election regarding homelessness,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that it was \u201cvery, very disappointing to see her (Raman) reach to the bottom of the barrel politically and to use something that she knew would happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris-Dawson argued that if his decision was in fact retaliation, it would have been done in February, when Raman announced her candidacy for mayor.<\/p>\n
Bass\u2019 campaign criticized Raman for her record on homelessness and housing as the committee\u2019s chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cNithya Raman canceled committee meetings for weeks, didn\u2019t show up to votes, and failed to deliver on building more housing or getting people off the streets,\u201d Alex Stack, a campaign spokesman for Bass, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
![\"Los](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/LDN-L-KOREATN-HOUSING-0807-AH07.jpg\")
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attends the grand opening of Koreatown\u2019s first completed Executive Directive 1 affordable housing development, an 80-unit affordable apartment building for income-qualified residents, on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)<\/p>\n
In a statement to City News Service, Raman said it was an honor to chair the Housing and Homelessness Committee during a time of real challenge and turbulence. She has led the committee since 2023.<\/p>\n
Raman said that under her leadership, the city passed the strongest protections for renters in 40 years with the Just Cause eviction protections, and lowered rent increases in rent-stabilized units.<\/p>\n
Raman also said the city established an office for oversight over homelessness dollars backed by clear performance data during her tenure. The city has used such data to better occupy shelter beds and permanent housing units.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my own district, we used these powerful tools to cut street homelessness by nearly 50% in one year,\u201d Raman said in her statement. \u201cWhile there is much more work to do to fix a very broken system, I am so proud of the work I was able to do as chair.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHousing affordability and homelessness are among the most urgent challenges facing Los Angeles and they demand committed leadership. It is my hope that the Council will not allow political considerations to prevent us from making the progress that Angelenos deserve,\u201d Raman\u2019s statement concluded.<\/p>\n
In July, the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count showed that homelessness increased by 3.4% in the city to an estimated 45,194. It was the first increase in homelessness following two straight years of decreases, according to data collected by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.<\/p>\n
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