LA Mayoral Hopeful Nithya Raman to Greenlight $6.6M Contract for Anti-Cop, Anti-Olympics Group SAJE

The deal is moving through a committee chaired by Raman, who is running for mayor.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Los Angeles City Council's Housing and Homelessness Committee, chaired by mayoral candidate Nithya Raman, is set to vote on a new $6.6 million, three-year contract for the activist group Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE). SAJE has a history of headline-grabbing activism, including calls to defund and abolish the LAPD, boycott city hotels, oppose the 2028 Olympics, and champion rent and mortgage freezes.

Why it matters

This contract highlights the influence of activist groups like SAJE in Los Angeles politics, as well as the potential conflicts of interest for mayoral candidates like Raman who control the flow of city funding to these organizations. The deal raises questions about the use of taxpayer money and the role of advocacy groups in shaping housing and homelessness policies.

The details

The $6.6 million contract would fund 'Protection from Tenant Harassment' outreach and education under the city's Right to Counsel program and the United to House LA homelessness prevention initiative. The funding comes largely from Measure ULA, the 'mansion tax' approved by voters in 2022. SAJE has received at least $1.43 million in public funds since 2020 through various housing and utility-related contracts, including money from the city's Systematic Code Enforcement Program.

  • The Housing and Homelessness Committee is set to vote on the contract on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
  • The contract is part of a $177 million package of eviction-defense and homelessness-prevention contracts that city officials say are essential to keeping renters housed.

The players

Nithya Raman

A Los Angeles City Council member who chairs the Housing and Homelessness Committee and is running for mayor.

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)

A hard-left activist group that has called to abolish the LAPD, cancel the 2028 Olympics, and freeze rent payments.

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What they’re saying

“There were times I honestly didn't know if I could keep the doors open. And then you realize you're paying into groups that are fighting people like me — that's infuriating.”

— Craig Ribeiro, Venice landlord (The California Post)

“SAJE tracks expenses by funding source and does not use restricted funds for prohibited advocacy. City rules allow nonprofits to hold contracts while engaging in policy advocacy, and SAJE is exempt from the city's lobbying ordinance disclosure requirements.”

— SAJE spokesperson (The California Post)

What’s next

If approved in committee, the contract would head to the full City Council for a final vote.

The takeaway

This contract highlights the growing influence of activist groups like SAJE in Los Angeles politics, as well as the potential conflicts of interest for mayoral candidates like Nithya Raman who control the flow of city funding to these organizations. The deal raises questions about the use of taxpayer money and the role of advocacy groups in shaping housing and homelessness policies in the city.