Recently, the Los Angeles Times reported that Langer’s Deli, a 77-year-old institution, was considering closure due to surrounding homelessness and safety concerns. In response, LA Mayor Karen Bass swiftly met with the restaurant owner, offering comfort and ultimately leading to the continuation of the business. While this mayoral action may appear prompt and proactive on the surface, a closer examination reveals it as a superficial remedy that fails to address the underlying issues.

The Problem with Selective Response

Langer’s Deli is a landmark establishment in Los Angeles. News of its potential closure naturally drew media attention, likely putting pressure on the city government. The mayor’s quick response can be understood in this context. However, this approach raises serious concerns.

Countless small restaurants and businesses in Los Angeles face similar challenges to Langer’s Deli. They, too, struggle with the impacts of homelessness and safety issues. Yet, most of these establishments fail to garner media attention and, consequently, fall outside the mayor’s focus. Providing special attention to a famous restaurant while overlooking others raises questions of equity and fairness in governance.

Absence of Fundamental Solutions

The mayor’s response also highlights a lack of fundamental problem-solving. Homelessness and safety concerns are not issues that can be resolved by ensuring the continuity of a single restaurant’s operations. These are structural problems affecting the entire city, requiring comprehensive and long-term approaches.

Rather than focusing on rescuing one high-profile establishment, the mayor should concentrate on identifying and addressing the root causes of these issues. This could include expanding homeless support programs, increasing the supply of affordable housing, and implementing comprehensive measures to enhance community safety.

Conclusion: The Need for a Fair and Inclusive Approach

While Mayor Karen Bass’s actions may appear proactive and swift on the surface, they essentially sidestep the core issues, offering only short-term, superficial solutions. Moreover, this response, focused solely on a famous restaurant, could be perceived as discriminatory towards numerous small businesses facing similar challenges.

True leadership involves treating all citizens and businesses fairly while striving to solve fundamental problems. The LA city government should use this incident as an opportunity to develop comprehensive, long-term strategies to address homelessness and safety concerns. These strategies should be applied equitably to all citizens and businesses, not just to high-profile establishments.

For Los Angeles to truly become a city where all citizens can thrive safely, the mayor and city officials need to adopt a more inclusive and fair approach. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for equitable governance that addresses the needs of all Angelenos, not just those in the spotlight.

By Brian Jun