Bass Shifts on Street Vendors After Political Pressure in LA Mayor's Race

In Los Angeles, a mayoral race has surfaced an older and unresolved tension in urban life: whether those who work at the edges of the formal economy are a symptom of disorder or a form of commerce deserving recognition. Mayor Karen Bass, who had cast street vendors as a burden on established businesses, began softening that stance after a debate with challenger Nithya Raman, who argues that inclusion — not enforcement — is the more just and practical path. The shift, whether born of genuine conviction or political calculation, places thousands of vendors at the center of a question cities have