Hey, what's up? It's Gustav Ariano, and today we take on an issue in Los Angeles that voters care a lot about.

Homelessness.

We partnered up with my other audio bosses over at KCRW for a live mayoral debate last week with some of the city's top candidates for the top job.

It was a final group debate before the primary on June 7th, and in our debate, three candidates talked a lot about a housing-first approach and in general took a super-progressive tone on the issue of homelessness.

I'm moderator alongside KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter Anna Scott, and along our questions, we got audience questions and questions from people who are currently unhoused.

Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity, but if you want the full unedited version, you can get it online at laetimes.com slash L.A. Mayor Debate.

So let's get to it.

And just so you know who's who, the kickoff question was asked by Anna Scott and answered by Karen Bass first,

then Kevin DeLeon, and then finally Gina Viola.

Here's Anna.

Housing is a human right. Why yes or why no?

I do think housing is a human right, just like I think the right to food, shelter, education,

health care are all human rights. When we live in the richest country in the history of the world, there's just no excuse

for us not to have enough housing, education, health care, et cetera, for our population.

I concur as well 100% That housing is a universal right.

It's a human right.

This is one of the wealthiest cities on planet Earth, the city of L.A.

The state of California is the fifth largest economy on planet Earth.

And, of course, the U.S. is the most powerful economy in the history of humanity.

The very fact that we have more than 41,000 people living on our streets, our sidewalks, or alleyways in their cars, in our parks, leads us with a profound indelible mark of shame.

Obviously, we have embedded within our economic systems, deep inequities,

that has had a profound impact on working people,

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