Reality-TV personality Spencer Pratt spent more than two hours Saturday meeting supporters at a Sherman Oaks home in the district of his mayoral opponent, City Councilmember Nithya Raman, ahead of the June 2 Los Angeles mayoral election. Residents who complain
Lake Balboa resident Jose Meraz showed up outside a five-bedroom home in Sherman Oaks with a simple wish: a mayor who can “turn L.A. around,” starting with streets he described as “filled with garbage.”
He wasn’t alone.. Schoolteacher Tracey Schroeder. a Republican candidate for state Assembly. pointed to crime. open-air drug use. and the slow rebuilding effort after the Palisades fire destroyed thousands of homes.. Greg Whitley of Reseda said he’s frustrated with homelessness and what he called an influx of “criminal illegal aliens. ” adding. “I live with the Spanish community.. Great people. ” before complaining. “But these illegals that come here for criminal reasons. they’re making them look bad. and they don’t like it.”
The three joined what looked like a steady line of neighbors waiting in punishing San Fernando Valley sunshine to speak with Spencer Pratt. the onetime “The Hills” star now running an insurgent campaign for Los Angeles mayor in the June 2 election.. Pratt spent more than two hours at the event. shaking hands. giving hugs and posing for photos with supporters gathered outside the property on Longridge Avenue.
Pratt had used social media to invite the public to the meet-and-greet. which took place in the district represented by one of his mayoral opponents. City Councilmember Nithya Raman.. Pratt did not deliver speeches outside the property. and the home—listed for rent on Zillow for $15. 950 per month—was part of the setting for a campaign stop that felt more like a direct pitch to residents than a formal rally.. He and a member of his security personnel said he was not taking interviews.
In the mayor’s race, Pratt has been running in voter surveys behind Mayor Karen Bass, who is seeking reelection.. The campaign has also kept pace in visible ways with some of its other competitors: Pratt is sometimes swapping places with Raman for second and third in voter surveys.. He has also turned in a strong debate performance this month and has been outpacing rivals in fundraising. based on the most recent disclosure reports.
While pressing his case on Saturday, Pratt revisited themes that have helped drive his campaign.. He has blamed Bass for the 2025 wildfire that destroyed much of Pacific Palisades, including his home.. He has also criticized the city’s handling of homelessness and said he would pursue a “treatment first” approach toward people with drug addiction who are living on the street.
The message about enforcement seemed to land with several people who spoke with him.. Pratt said he wants to increase Los Angeles Police Department staffing to 12. 500 officers over the next decade. up from about 8. 600. and told a supporter on Saturday that the city needs to “make sure all the laws are being enforced.” He added. “Plenty of functioning cities enforce their laws.”
Saba Lahar, a resident of Sherman Oaks, said that point resonated with many in line as she spoke with Pratt moments after talking to him. “He is advocating for the safety and security of our families — specifically, for mothers to be able to walk their kids to school,” she said.
Outside, the event took on the feel of a neighborhood exchange. Supporters dropped off ballots, picked up lawn signs, and stopped to pick up coffee drinks from the Hustle N Dough doughnut truck parked out front. Some also stayed involved even though they cannot cast ballots in L.A.
Ruben Jr., whose last name was not given, took a picture of his father during Pratt’s community meet-and-greet.. Brian Rodda. who runs a walking food tour company. described himself as “an unsatisfied Angeleno” despite living in West Hollywood. which is not part of the city of L.A.. “Sadly, because I do live in West Hollywood, I cannot vote for him,” Rodda said.. “But I certainly think we need a change.”
The evening’s lineup and messaging added up to a clear sequence: the candidate arrived to a crowd focused on specific local complaints, then centered his pitch on enforcement and staffing targets, with supporters tying those promises to fear about safety and daily life.
As the meet-and-greet wrapped, Pratt left behind a tightly concentrated snapshot of what he hopes to carry into the June 2 election—an insurgent campaign pressing residents’ grievances about streets, crime and homelessness, while moving through a district held by one of his mayoral opponents.
Spencer Pratt Los Angeles mayoral election Nithya Raman Karen Bass Sherman Oaks homelessness crime Palisades fire LAPD staffing Jose Meraz Tracey Schroeder Greg Whitley