Mayoral Candidates Clash Over Response to 1,000 Block of Ventura Blvd Complaints

Business owners along the 1300 block of Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks are voting with their feet in the Los Angeles mayoral race, citing specific failures in service delivery as the primary reason for their choices. The dispute centers on whether incoming Mayor Karen Bass or incumbent Councilmember Nithya Raman is more responsive to the day-to-day needs of small businesses, including broken sidewalks, homeless encampments, and complex licensing processes.

The conflict came to a head during a May ceremony honoring the Casa Vega Mexican restaurant. The event, which designated the corner as Casa Vega Square, drew Mayor Bass and Councilmember Monica Rodriguez. Raman, whose district includes the restaurant, was absent. Raman's spokesperson, Stella Stahl, attributed the absence to scheduling conflicts, noting that other staff members were present. Rodriguez, who co-presented the motion for the designation in March, stated her staff spearheaded the effort to recognize Latino contributions in the city.

Christy Vega, owner of Casa Vega, said she has spent years seeking help from Raman's office for repairs to sidewalks and pavement outside her restaurant. Vega also requested removal of a homeless encampment that formed during the pandemic. She described a call to Raman's office regarding a damaged curb where she was told to secure permits and pay for repairs herself. Vega said a staff member later suggested she move to a different district. Raman's office did not comment on the specific suggestion but Stahl explained that the Bureau of Street Services lacks funding for sidewalk repairs, placing the responsibility on adjacent property owners.

Vega, who supports Bass, is a member of the board for Thrive LA, an advocacy group running ads against Raman. She said Bass answered her phone immediately when Vega expressed panic over permit issues for an outdoor patio last year. Bass also met with a group of business owners in 2023 and convened weekly safety meetings with local law enforcement to address concerns about robberies and property damage in the area.

Jessica Lewis, owner of Dragonfly Cycle and Train in Sherman Oaks, described Raman as MIA. Lewis said she sent photos of human feces at her front door and encampments at her back door, but the emails fell on deaf ears. Lewis voted for Bass in 2024, a decision she said felt like a betrayal when Bass endorsed Raman for reelection that year. Lewis described a pattern of finger-pointing between the council and mayor's offices, where neither entity would take action on her requests.

Supporters of Raman point to her office's proactive constituent service team. Marissa Rodriguez, owner of Dia Natural Wine in Studio City, said she was unaware of the web of licenses required to open her shop. She credited Raman's team with helping her navigate the process, allowing the wine shop to open in 2022. Tyler Simmons, owner of Reunion & Co. in Los Feliz, said Raman's office helped install four speed tables near his business in response to complaints about speeding.

Raman called Bass's characterization of her as contemptuous of constituents a lie during an October 13 debate. Stahl said the office listens to residents and uses every available tool to fix problems. Rodriguez, who supports Bass, said she has stepped in to help business owners in Raman's district for years. She called the lack of responsiveness from Raman's office a pattern that reflects on Raman's potential performance as mayor.

Sophia Brodetsky, who owns the Valley Inn restaurant in Sherman Oaks, said she is unhappy with both candidates. She noted that her restaurant has endured robberies and property damage since 1947. Brodetsky said candidates promise much but deliver little. Vega and Lewis said a number of business owners reached out to Bass after her 2022 election to voice concerns about Raman's stewardship of the district. Vega said she was not a supporter of Bass and that Bass owed her no favors, yet Bass responded quickly to her plea for help with patio permits.