As of Fall 2024, 69% of CSUN students are first-generation college students, meaning their ability to navigate their college experience may be a lot less guided than their peers. As First-Generation College Student Month approaches in November, it is imperative that we shine a light on these underrepresented students.

I myself am a first-generation college student, and throughout my college career, I’ve struggled to make the best decisions for myself. This has been due to a lack of guidance, whether that be choosing my major, discovering the resources available to me on campus or figuring out what postgraduate options look like.

But just because first-generation students like myself may not have certain relatives to turn to for guidance, that doesn’t mean we are undeserving of that guidance. With a campus as diverse as CSUN, there are a number of resources available for first-generation students that can give them the direction they need and deserve.

The best resource that first-generation students should take advantage of is the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which “provides services to historically low-income, historically educationally disadvantaged students; a population that not only reflects the diversity of CSUN’s feeder communities but also the diversity of the University itself,” according to their mission page. For qualifying students, not only do they provide a grant depending on student classification, but they also provide necessary resources catered to the personal needs of the 2600 students it serves each year.

As a student within EOP, I’ve personally found the mandatory Transitional Programs to be of major assistance for me. Newly admitted students get the choice of either completing a bridge program over the summer or a semester-long course. Both options do the job of educating students on the various resources available to them across campus in addition to establishing the necessary academic skills needed to acclimate students to university life. Other resources, such as their College & Service Satellites that offer exclusive counseling services and the one-on-one holistic academic advisement from dedicated staff advisors and peer mentors, are also offered to EOP students. This resource is especially beneficial for first-generation students by giving them a number of people to turn to for advice.

The PODER program within the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is a paid employment program focused on providing opportunities for undergraduate students to become research assistants in preparation for graduate studies or careers. Since it is funded by Federal Work-Study (FWS) and OUR, eligible students get paid to conduct research led by their mentors, and all these connections created within the program give first-generation students a headstart in establishing themselves within their respective career paths.

The Academic First-Year Experiences (AFYE) program helps ease the transition to CSUN for incoming freshmen and transfer students by introducing them to key parts of campus. From building a sense of belonging by introducing them to campus life to increasing long-term retention and graduation rates, their goal is to integrate “skill-building, wellness, community engagement, and identity-affirming learning communities, allowing students to develop critical thinking, time management, and self-advocacy skills while fostering meaningful connections with peers, faculty, and campus resources,” according to their mission statement. They achieve this goal mainly by providing introductory 100-level transition courses to support first-year CSUN students in addition to community support.

These are just a few of the many resources that would significantly support first-generation students. As a campus known for its diversity within its student body, it is crucial that these resources stay alive to uplift one student at a time. Just as much as students need these resources, the resources and programs cannot serve their purposes without the necessary support of students in need.

Resources like these made me realize that I am not alone in my journey through college as I figure out what the next steps are in my college career. They were of great use to me, they will likely be of even greater use for future first-generation students. First-Generation College Student Day lands on November 8, so make sure to check up on those that have overcome a number of challenges to pursue their college career.

While I haven’t been personally involved, the benefits of joining a Greek organization are not lost on me. Beyond the obvious social upsides and the sense of community it provides, the lifestyle can offer professional advantages by connecting members to alumni networks.

But when compared to the staggering number of Greek life incidents that have resulted in sexual violence, injury and even death, it becomes difficult to see these benefits as anything but unjustifiable.

In fact, in the past few years alone, several cases involving sexual violence have come to light at colleges across the nation, including the University of Washington. More recently, at Cornell University, where an anonymous student alleges she was drugged and raped by seven male students, who are all members of the university’s Chi Phi chapter.

However, when discussing incidents related to Greek life, it’s crucial to note that members themselves face some of the highest risks.

According to a study examining the relationship between sexual assault victimization and sorority membership, a total of 29% of women in sororities reported being sexually assaulted during their college years, a proportion four times higher than non-sorority members. Conversely, men who were members of fraternities were shown to be nearly three times as likely to commit rape as their non-Greek life counterparts.

Hazing has also posed a serious threat to members’ health and safety. Since 2000, more than 100 male freshmen have died because of hazing rituals. This year alone, there have been several notable cases, including at the University of Arizona, where pledges were forced to swallow live goldfish, and at the University of Miami, where two pledges were left with near-fatal injuries after being beaten with paddles.

These incidents aren’t even confined to the schools with the most prominent Greek scenes. In fact, our own CSUN campus had previously been the site of hazing rituals.In July 2014, student Armando Villa died of heat stroke after a mandatory 16-mile initiation hike, showcasing just how widespread these issues have become.

With any flawed system, our first instinct is usually to push for reform, and I’d usually agree with this approach. But where has reform gotten us with Greek life?

When we look at schools that have been sites of these incidents, they weren’t these lawless campuses. In fact, many had taken steps to regulate Greek life activities strictly. Before the Cornell Seven case, the campus banned hard liquor at fraternity events, halved pledging periods to prevent hazing and barred first-semester freshmen from Greek parties.

Numerous regulations and laws exist across the nation, but the assaults and the hazing incidents haven’t slowed, which points to the deeper systemic issues within Greek life.

One of the biggest pillars of the system is the closeness members have with their fraternity/sorority brothers and sisters. But this proximity can give way to a groupthink mentality. In this psychological framework, members see themselves as part of a group, which can suppress their critical thinking and put conformity above moral individuality.

Collective identity can create what psychologists call a diffusion of responsibility, where the crowd makes members feel like they aren’t solely responsible for potential issues. Furthermore, the built-in social hierarchies of Greek chapters play on members’ desires to fit into the larger community, making dissent difficult.

This social pressure to conform and fear of being socially ostracized are why it has become so difficult to regulate proactively. In fact, research indicates that 95% of students who experience hazing do not report it. Of course, not every chapter has the same toxic culture, but the overall structure arguably makes it easier for it to take root.

So, after all the incidents of hazing, sexual assault and death, why is it still a mainstay of college life? The answer might lie in the funding.

Greek life alumni are influential on college campuses; some are faculty members, and others donate significantly to universities. Greek life alumni were found to be 5.4 times more likely to donate to their alma mater than uninvolved graduates. This should raise serious questions about the financial incentives surrounding Greek life. Can universities objectively evaluate whether keeping these institutions is best for students if they benefit so much from them?

It’s hard not to see a potential conflict of interest and feel that student safety is being weighed against financial incentives. Any changes universities have made appear ineffective: more university-provided training videos and meetings, and enforcement that comes only after someone has been hurt, turning it into a regulatory whac-a-mole.

How many more people need to fall victim to hazing and assault before significant change occurs? If universities are serious about fostering community and protecting students, they must be willing to question whether Greek life deserves a place on their campuses at all.

Tradition should never come before student safety.

The first half was a force as both teams were looking for open opportunities to score a goal, but it was a back-and-forth match until Matador midfielder Jorge Solorzano scored a penalty kick in the 30th minute to take the lead 1-0 after a handball was committed by Hornets defender Zach Castrence.

The energy on the field became dead silent after Matador midfielder Justin Sosa was issued a red card for committing a foul on Sacramento State that caused the team to play with a man down.

“I thought it was a tough red card, and that really changed the whole complexion of the game,” said CSUN men’s soccer head coach Terry Davila. “When you’re in a big game like this with points on the line, a decision like that can have real consequences.”

The second half was a domination by the Hornets, with forward player Zac Giles scoring a goal at the 50th minute to tie the game 1-1. The pressure on the Matadors quickly built up as Giles scored another goal to lead 2-1 at the 59th minute mark.

Hornet defender Nick Strangio lifted the Hornets to a 3-1 lead after scoring a goal during a corner kick at the 65th minute. The Matadors were struggling to find a way to come back and Giles secured two additional goals in the 80th and 86th minutes to give the Hornets the victory 5-1.

“Constant work that’s the key, especially in these close-out conference games, you know, keeping the work right and not getting down, especially going down a goal. Once we get that first goal, can we keep going?” Giles said. “Can we keep our foot on the gas and never let up? Because these days you never know what can happen. Soccer is a crazy game and any team can come back.”

The Matadors will visit UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Oct. 31, with kickoff at 7 p.m. The Matadors will wait to hear back to determine if the team clinches a spot in the Big West Conference.

The Matadors began by taking charge and securing their first point with a kill from CSUN middle blocker Iye Okolo. The first set started off very close between the Roadrunners and the Matadors; ultimately, the Matadors lost the first set with the final score of 25-18.

In the second set, the Matadors gained their first point due to a bad set by Roadrunners middle blocker Defne Yanik. The Matadors and Roadrunners played a very tight game, staying neck and neck in the point system, with the Roadrunners ultimately taking the win 25-22.

The Matadors came back fighting harder than before and turned the tide of momentum during the third set. Matadors began the set with the leading point due to a kill by outside hitter Julia Bazylevych and stayed in the lead for the rest of the set, ending in a win of 25-18.

The Matadors began the fourth set behind with the Roadrunners taking the lead with a 3-0 score. The Matadors, however, were able to come back to a tying score of 12-12 with the Roadrunners, ultimately taking the lead in the set and winning with a 25-15 score, tying up the match.

The Matadors began dominating the Roadrunners in the fifth set, starting off with the lead score of 4-1. The Matadors ramped up the momentum and stayed in the lead for the majority of the set with a score of 14-10. Towards the end of the set, the Matadors began to lose momentum and were unable to gain the last remaining point needed. The Roadrunners ultimately took the win 16-14 against the Matadors.

Matadors head coach Aquiles Montoya declined to comment on the result of the game.

While the result was not what the Matadors had worked for, the crowd certainly enjoyed the lengthy, hard-fought match.

“Tonight was a very exciting game. I thought the team did a really good job of coming back, being down two sets, but it was a really tough loss at the end,” said spectator Dan Ponce. ”Volleyball is kind of like that. It’s a game of mistakes that sometimes don’t go away. But I think they’re figuring some things out, and I think the rest of the season is going to turn around for us.”

The Matadors will be playing next against Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 at 6 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

Editor’s Note: The photo credit incorrectly spelled the photographer’s name. This issue was fixed on Oct. 27, 2026. 

The session featured a presentation by Andrea Ortiz, Campus Care’s program coordinator and lead clinician, who discussed consent, barriers to reporting and strategies students can use when witnessing concerning behavior.

Ortiz outlined four approaches to bystander intervention: direct, delegate, distract and deliver. Depending on the situation, students might address someone directly, seek assistance, create a distraction or help someone reach safety.

“Safety is the most important above anything else,” Ortiz said.

Participants worked through scenarios involving an intoxicated student being urged into someone’s room, unwanted touching during a game night and someone repeatedly demanding entry to another student’s room. The exercises encouraged students to consider alternatives to confrontation.

Ortiz emphasized that intervention does not require using every strategy. Asking someone for help or briefly distracting them can create an opportunity to interrupt a potentially harmful encounter.

Bailey Wukmir, a coordinator for Project D.A.T.E., said the workshop’s focus reflected concern about reports of sexual violence at other universities and the anger students expressed in response.

Wukmir said organizers wanted to explain how education and bystander intervention could help prevent harm. The broader goal was to show students that supporting others does not require extraordinary abilities.

“We can be our own little superheroes,” Wukmir said.

Wukmir identified awareness as a challenge for campus prevention and survivor support efforts. Students who do not know about available services may feel isolated, she said.

She called for stronger connections among professors, clubs, counselors and campus programs so students can find support regardless of where they first ask for help.

Emily Arana, a prevention education specialist with Campus Care Advocates, also emphasized the importance of making resources visible on a large campus.

“I want students to take away that we are an available resource here on campus,” Arana said.

Arana said students’ participation in the practice scenarios stood out to her. She added that the question about ableism also demonstrated the value of creating spaces where students can ask questions and learn.

Both Wukmir and Arana highlighted barriers that extend beyond knowing where to seek assistance. Arana said survivors may fear retaliation or experience shame and embarrassment, even though the violence was not their fault.

Ortiz described Campus Care as a free, confidential resource for students, faculty and staff. Services include counseling, advocacy, crisis intervention, safety planning and accompaniment through reporting or legal processes.

Ortiz said the program’s approach centers on helping survivors understand their options rather than deciding for them.

“We’re not here to tell anybody what to do, how to be, who to be,” Ortiz said.

The presentation also encouraged students to listen without judgment, avoid investigating a survivor’s account and offer support without pressure.

Wukmir said prevention efforts must continue beyond a single workshop through ongoing conversations and better connections across campus.

“We can all be better people together,” Wukmir said.

For Arana, the central message was that students facing difficult experiences should know they are not alone and that help is available.

The Chi Phi fraternity was hosting a party that same night, where a fraternity member and friend of Doe had proposed a threesome with him and another Frat brother. Already inebriated, Doe was allegedly given a pile of drugs such as ketamine and marijuana. What was originally supposed to be an event of three people turned into Doe and eight to 10 men, according to CNN. An additional detail was added to this lawsuit where Snapchat messages were retrieved from a group chat titled “Chi Phi Actives” with over 57 members. In this group chat, one of the members messaged that “free p*ssy” was upstairs, with another member asking if “shop was still open”.

Details of this story are still developing, leading to discourse on social media and college campuses. This has raised growing concerns about campus safety for students nationwide, sparking protests and community responses from faculty as well. Not only have Cornell students participated in sit-ins and walkouts, but CSUN is also participating in sexual violence awareness.

In relation to this current event, gender women studies professor Marie Cartier performed a poem of her own titled, “Rape is robbery and we want all of our stuff back,” on October 6th during a mixer for the gender women studies department to encourage students to join the program.

Cartier deemed the reflective essays given to the five students as “F***king Bull***,” followed by, “I don’t know who’s grading that sh*t, but I can tell you one thing. There is no rubric that I know of [on how] to grade a paper that begins with ‘I participated in a gang rape.’” The form of punishment the seven accused received was suspension of two of the students; one was barred from campus for three years and reflection essays for the rest. Doe eventually dropped out of college after being denied a refund of her tuition from Cornell University.

Jose Garcia, a current student at CSUN, decided to speak up about the Cornell 7 during a gender women’s studies class, informing his peers of the Snapchat messages exchanged between the Chi Phi members.

“They need to be punished more so they actually realize what they did ‘cause it seems like the little punishment they got is going to [allow] them to go out again into the world and do it again,” Garcia said.

After all of this, Garcia expressed deep concern for women’s safety, especially those applying for college and Greek life. Garcia feels that the institution is more concerned with their reputation rather than the safety of its students.

“The university is not dealing with this because they don’t want the publicity; definitely could be because they’re afraid of their endowments because some of the kids are wealthy, who knows,” said Cartier. “But I think the really big thing is that…there’s a bro code.”

Cartier touched on the normalization of rape culture in response to how all 57 participants in “Chi Phi actives” failed to contact authorities before, during and after the seven-hour assault. This suggests that the group has established some form of loyalty between each other or a “bro-code.”

Marie Cartier read a line from “Rape is robbery and we want all of our stuff back,”: “If someone steals your right to sleep with the lights off, then you were robbed. If you are afraid of the dark now, and you weren’t before, you were robbed. If someone steals your right to have sex because every time your legs part, you see the rapist and you freeze, you were robbed. If someone steals your right to go out at night because it happened at night, in the morning, because it happened in the morning, at a bar because it happened in a bar…. You get the idea. You were robbed.”

The CSUN Klotz Health Center offers students and faculty resources, confidential support, medical support and a 24/7 hotline for those affected by sexual assault. For further information, please see the Student Resources and Reporting Options for Sexual Violence and Relationship Abuse pamphlet.

View below for more stories regarding sexual violence awareness on CSUN’s campus.

The session, “Learning (the wrong) Love Lessons from the Girly Pops,” was part of the program’s annual “It’s On Us” wellness event. Presenter Suzanna Rogen, of Equity and Compliance, guided participants through discussions about healthy, harmful and abusive relationships before applying those distinctions to song lyrics.

The goal was not to discourage students from enjoying their favorite artists, Rogen said, but to help them consider what messages they absorb.

“It’s not asking you to stop listening, just asking you to listen more critically,” Rogen said.

Bailey Wukmir, Project D.A.T.E.’S coordinator, said the event aimed to build awareness of sexual assault prevention through education and encourage a shift toward community responsibility.

“If we educate ourselves, as well as our children and our adults, we can shift the way society sees these things and change it,” Wukmir said.

During the workshop, participants wrote down relationship behaviors and discussed where they belonged on a spectrum ranging from healthy to harmful to abusive. Examples included making room for different needs, prioritizing others’ comfort over a partner’s and projecting experiences from past relationships onto the current ones.

Rogen described healthy relationships as grounded in equality and respect. She distinguished hurtful conflict from patterns of behavior used to exert power and control, emphasizing that unhealthy behavior does not always fall within the university’s nondiscrimination policy.

“Just because something doesn’t violate the policy doesn’t mean it’s a healthy relationship,” Rogen said.

Participants then analyzed songs, including Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well,” discussing communication, trust and expectations. They considered how the relationships described in the lyrics could be rewritten around healthier behaviors.

For attendee Terianna Guerra, a transfer student who discovered the event through Project D.A.T.E.’s tabling, the spectrum offers a useful alternative to rigid categorization.

“I like the reflecting moment as well,” Guerra said.

Guerra said the discussion encouraged her to reconsider the media she consumes without feeling she needed to abandon it. She also valued hearing other participants’ perspectives on experiences they might otherwise discuss only privately.

The workshop’s emphasis on conversation reflected a broader challenge for organizers: reaching students on a commuter campus.

Wukmir and Project D.A.T.E. host two annual wellness events, conduct tabling and collaborate with campus partners. Still, students balancing school, work and responsibilities at home can be difficult to engage.

Wukmir said she would like students to have more opportunities for sustained, discussion-based education about consent, boundaries and relationships rather than relying on an introductory training alone.

Guerra said events that help build can also make it easier to seek support. As a newcomer, she appreciated meeting approachable people and developing a sense of community. She plans to continue the conversation beyond the workshop by sharing lessons with her younger sister.

“It gave me some new ways to talk and I’m excited to have more conversations and learn more,” Guerra said.

“I was kind of abandoning all my habits or all my hobbies,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez is one of many CSUN students who have tried to reduce screen time amid concerns about social media’s effects on sleep, focus and stress. Like many students, he did not attempt to abandon his phone entirely. Instead, he used a screen-time management app to limit apps such as TikTok and Instagram, then eventually deleted them. 

“The hardest part was that initial change because it’s straight up an addiction,” Jimenez said. 

His experience reflects a broader challenge for college students: phones are central to academic and social life, but heavy use can interfere with the habits students are trying to build. CSUN students rely on their devices for Canvas, class group chats, jobs, commuting and staying in touch with family and friends. 

Dr. Abram D. Milton, a mental health response coordinator with University Counseling Services, said concerns about phone use, social media, sleep, stress and distraction come up “almost every day” in his work with students. 

“For me, when I think about digital detox, we’re saying, hey, how can I disconnect from this device so I can get back into the world?” Milton said.

Milton continued by saying students may need to reconsider their phone habits when scrolling starts to affect concentration, sleep, mood or relationships. He added that some students describe checking their phones as the last thing they do before bed and the first thing they do after waking up.

“If it’s causing an adverse effect in their sleep, how they engage with people, how their mood [is], then we kind of see that we try to help them out,” Milton said.

Elizabeth Hernandez, a junior child development major, said she began cutting back because she wanted to spend more time outside and develop hobbies. 

“I started picking up more hobbies, like cooking and cleaning,” Hernandez said.

Angelica Perez, a junior art major, said social media distracted her from activities she wanted to pursue. She used her phone’s screen-time limit feature to reduce her use. 

“It would distract me a lot from what I actually wanted to do, which is hobbies,” Perez said. 

Both students said they moved schoolwork to their laptops and avoided logging into social media there. 

“I would strictly only use it on my laptop instead, where on my laptop I’m not logged into any social media,” Perez said. 

Social pressure remained a challenge. Hernandez said responding to friends’ messages often pulled her back onto her phone. 

“With friends texting, it was mostly on Instagram, and Instagram Reels is just right there,” Perez said. “So it’s just like a force of habit.”

Students who reduced their screen time reported better sleep and more time for other activities.

“I slept a lot better because I wasn’t on my phone all night, and my grades improved,” Jimenez said. 

Perez said she noticed waking up feeling refreshed after going to sleep earlier. Hernandez said she also slept better and continued completing her schoolwork on time. 

Milton explained that students do not need to stop using their phones entirely. Because students need devices for school and personal responsibilities, he recommends an honest assessment of when and why they use them. 

“It’s going to be hard for people to go cold turkey,” Milton said. “Maybe using less over a series of times and to monitor and to fill that new time with other things.”

He encouraged students to replace scrolling with intentional activities, such as exercising, joining campus clubs, spending time with friends or listening to audiobooks. 

“We replace the habit around their phone with something else,” Milton said. “Find another hobby.”

All three students said a complete digital detox is unrealistic for college students. Jimenez said clubs, classes and communication often happen online. 

“I think a more limited approach is more sustainable,” Jimenez said. “At least being mindful of what you consume and how often you consume it and for how much.”

Hernandez agreed, saying students need Canvas and often communicate with classmates online, making it unrealistic to eliminate online activity entirely, though it can be minimized. 

Milton said students should practice self-compassion if they slip back into old habits. Changing phone habits, he said, is a gradual process. 

“The key thing, you don’t have to try to do it alone,” Milton said.

5:24 p.m., Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is coming to CSUN

Danielle De Leon

CSUN Black Student Union announced that they are hosting an event with Mayor Karen Bass on campus Thursday, Oct. 29, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. The event will feature a fireside chat with Mayor Bass, in-person student Q&A and a group photo at the end. RSVP is required to attend the event due to limited space.

11:12 a.m., Current early votes cast nationally

Danielle De Leon

More than 29 million in-person and early votes have been cast nationally according to NBC News. This amounts to 51.5% of early voting completed so far compared to the 58,075,807 mail-in ballots sent or requested.

Oct. 25

4:20 p.m., CSUN Vote Center is now open

Elise Linares

The CSUN voting center located at Redwood Hall is now open for the Midterm Elections! Here’s more information on how to vote in-person on CSUN’s campus.

Oct. 24

4:09 p.m., 2026 General Election: Meet the Gubernatorial and Mayoral candidates

Emily Velasquez

In California’s Nov. 3 election, voters will cast their ballots on a number of propositions and state office positions. Two of the most important decisions for citizens of the City of Los Angeles will be voting for the new Governor of California and Mayor of Los Angeles. To get familiar with the candidates and what they are campaigning on, here is a concise guide to read before heading to the polls.

Oct. 23

12:11 p.m., California Proposition Guide: 2026 General Election

Danielle De Leon

In the 2026 General Election, California voters will be voting on 14 propositions. Before filling in your votes on the ballot, here’s a breakdown of each proposition to review and better your understanding prior to Election Day.

Oct. 21

1:40 p.m., Voter Guide: 2026 General Election

Danielle De Leon

With 2026 General Election Day coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 3, there are many things to review and know before casting your vote.

A midterm election marks the halfway point of a U.S. president’s term. These elections are important as they allow voters to influence the balance of power in Congress and choose which representatives reflect their beliefs and interests. The results of these elections also affect how easily the president can continue on with their agenda.

Oct. 14

5:05 p.m., How to Register to Vote

Holland Cooper and Karina Magadan

The last day to register to vote for the November election is October 19, 2026. Here is a quick step-by-step guide on how to register online!

Gubernatorial Candidates

Democratic

Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Health Secretary and former State Attorney General, is the Democratic candidate. 

Housing:

Becerra wants to build more affordable homes and reduce construction costs. He wants to:

• On day one, issue an executive order declaring the state’s housing shortage a state of emergency
• Speed up building permits and reduce delays
• Enforce state housing laws
• Expand zoning for housing near transit
• Expand down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers
• Strengthen renter protections and protect homebuyers from large investors buying up single-family homes
• Reduce clean energy utility costs rather than making household bills bear the burden

Healthcare:

Becerra aims to build toward a universal single-payer healthcare system. He wants to:

• Protect Medi-Cal and Affordable Care Act coverage from federal cuts, claiming that on “day one” he will issue an executive order to maintain coverage for those affected by federal cuts and Medi-Cal rollbacks
• Lower prescription drug costs using California’s purchasing power and the CalRx program
• Expand access to primary care, telehealth and preventative health services with the “California Prevention First” initiative
• Reduce healthcare waste and fraud, and strengthen funding structures

Homelessness:

Becerra calls homelessness a policy failure. He wants to: 

• Expand shelter capacity and permanent housing
• Increase mental health and addiction treatment beds
• Provide rental assistance to prevent homelessness

Becerra is endorsed by California Faculty Association, Equality California, Planned Parenthood California, California Chamber of Commerce and California Medical Association, among others. 

Republican

Steve Hilton, former Director of Strategy to British prime minister David Cameron and former Fox News host, is the Republican candidate. Hilton’s campaign is built on two priorities, “Califordable” and “CaliFuture”; here is how he wants to implement that:

Califordable:

• Support in-state energy production and roll back policies to lower gas prices
• Eliminate state income tax on the first $150,000 citizens earn
• Build more starter homes
• Lower utility bills

CaliFuture:

• Ensure that every student can read by 3rd grade
• Encourage skill training and career pathways in every school
• Abolish annual $800 small business tax
• “Bust” the $745 billion bloated bureaucracy and reduce waste

Housing:

• Cap fees and regulatory costs for new homes and speed up construction
• Build more single-family homes outside of existing urban centers
• Limit the ability for private individuals and organizations to use the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to delay or block development
• Restructure or eliminate rent control, saying it discourages housing construction

Healthcare:

•  Establish a People-First Healthcare Commission to recommend small projects 
• Lower employer health insurance costs
• Require healthcare providers to publish prices before nonemergency care
• Restructure Medi-Cal
• Offer more insurance options

Homelessness:

• Aim to clear all homeless encampments by the end of 2027
• Build a network of homeless recovery centers with shelter, medical care, addiction treatment and job training
• Enforce public camping bans
• End state funding for drug supplies such as clean needles, pipes and other harm reduction supplies and redirect funding to addiction treatment, mental health care and housing

President Donald Trump, Nisei Farmers League, and Israeli-American Civic Action Network, among others, endorse Hilton. 

Mayoral Candidates

Karen Bass

Karen Bass is the current mayor of Los Angeles and has served since 2022. For her second term, she is focusing on safety, affordability and opportunity. Here are her proposals on pressing matters for citizens:

Housing:

• Establish a single lead agency to centralize housing development
• Use AI-powered tools to speed up and modernize housing development services
• Increase housing types through a Missing Middle House Ordinance to increase homeownership
• Aim to speed up the building of 47,000 approved ED1 affordable housing units through a low-interest construction loan program

Affordability:

• Expand Metro reduced fare and free fare programs by at least 30%, while developing a plan to provide free fare transit on all Metro trains
• Reform the small business tax to stimulate economic growth
• Expand child care and after-school programming, provided at city parks with sliding scale affordability options
• Expand the Community School Parks program

Homelessness:

• End every major encampment and move people into shelters and services
• Expand interim housing options and accelerate the transition into permanent housing
• Centralize authority over homelessness programs under the City of Los Angeles, rather than under city, county and regional agencies
• Partner with local universities to create clinical rotation programs bringing healthcare directly to housing sites
• Pass legislation to expand rental subsidies for vulnerable populations

Bass has been endorsed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, Californians for Human Immigrant Rights Leadership Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles County Action Fund, and California Nurses Association, among others.

Nithya Raman

Nithya Raman is a current member of the Los Angeles City Council. She began her term in 2020 and was re-elected in 2024. Raman is campaigning on a number of issues, emphasizing affordable housing, tenant protections, homelessness and emergency preparedness. Here are some of her main proposals:

Housing:

• Issue an executive order establishing a deadline to approve zoning-compliant and discretionary projects
• Require intake meetings with all departments early on to ensure quality is not compromised for speed
• Have one individual inspector for the project, from pre-construction to final occupancy, to ensure accountability
• Accelerate permits for straightforward projects through a self-certification program
• Expand housing types to address housing shortages and affordability, allowing duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in traditionally single-family neighborhoods
• Turn empty office buildings into housing
• Restore homeownership by accelerating paths to buying and building homes

Homelessness:

• By the 2028 Olympics, the number of people living in tents and encampments will be reduced by at least 50 percent
• Develop ways to eliminate long-term encampments in populated areas
• Deploy street medical teams to provide healthcare to individuals
• Increase accountability for homelessness spending, publishing a public dashboard of spending and shelter data

Public Safety: 

• Expand unarmed emergency responses, such as sending trained civilian responders to nonviolent 911 calls
• Improve LAPD accountability and response times
• Establish “SafetyStat”, weekly mayor-led reviews of public safety performance
• Publish community safety scoreboard, displaying response times, repeat calls, violent crime and other neighborhood data
• Expand the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety (MOCS)

Raman has been endorsed by Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia, Feel The Burn San Fernando Valley, Latino Coalition of Los Angeles, California Working Families Party and Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, among others. 

Early voting begins on Saturday, Oct. 24. CSUN’s voting center is located at Redwood Hall in Room 180. For more information about the 2026 General Election, visit our guides.