With just days remaining before Los Angeles voters cast their ballots, mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt has caused a new political uproar by sharing a video of a homeless man dozing off next to a Hollywood ballot drop box on Sunday. He has accused rivals Karen Bass and Nithya Raman of neglecting the city's homelessness problem.
The footage, reportedly filmed near the Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library in Hollywood, showed a man sleeping on the ground beside a ballot drop box with trash scattered nearby. Sharing the video on X, Pratt wrote: “I don't even need to make campaign ads anymore. Karen and Nithya just keep making them for me.”
Pratt used the scene as evidence of what he called years of failed leadership on homelessness and public safety.
{{/usCountry}}Pratt used the scene as evidence of what he called years of failed leadership on homelessness and public safety.
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Homelessness becomes a defining election issue
Homelessness has emerged as the central issue in the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral campaign. Given the issue, Pratt has built much of his candidacy around criticism of the current city leadership’s handling of encampments, addiction and public disorder.
During a series of campaign posts over the weekend, Pratt argued that taxpayers were spending billions without meaningful results and pledged a tougher approach if elected.
If you vote for me, it’s just going to be a mandate to change. Enough is enough. I’m the one with compassion, no matter what these people tell you," Pratt said on Sunday.
In one video message, Pratt said he wanted homeless residents to receive treatment and support rather than remain on the streets. “I don't want people dying on the streets,” he said. He also criticized current spending priorities and outreach programs.
Pratt has also made many posts on Sunday criticizing his Democratic opponents, Raman and Bass, for their efforts to combat homelessness and the overwhelming departure of the film industry.
The reality TV personality even made fun of himself by stating that "Nithya's campaign is the only thing worse than The Hills."
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Posts and comments come at a crucial time of the elections
The controversy arrives at a critical moment in the race. A recent UC Berkeley–Los Angeles Times poll showed Bass at 26%, Raman at 25%, and Pratt at 22%, placing all three candidates within striking distance ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.
Bass, who is seeking a second term, has defended her administration’s homelessness strategy, particularly the “Inside Safe” program, which moves unhoused residents into temporary shelter and housing.
Raman, a Los Angeles City Council member and urban planner, has also centered her campaign on housing and homelessness but has criticized parts of Bass’s approach, arguing that some programs are financially unsustainable and need reform. Raman has long advocated for expanding housing supply and addressing homelessness through broader structural housing solutions.
Pratt's campaign, on the other hand, has garnered significant poll numbers because of its heavy reliance on social media and celebrity appeal.
Moreover, according to analysts cited by the LA Times, Pratt has hit a nerve with the agenda of his campaign and with the help of social media, the celebrity outsider has turned into a serious contender.