Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is experiencing a substantial decline in popularity compared to a year ago, largely attributed to her handling of the devastating fires in January, a new survey by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs reveals.
The survey, which targeted residents of Los Angeles County, indicated that Bass’ unfavorable ratings have soared by 17 percentage points from the previous year.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the survey focused on Los Angeles residents rather than the broader Los Angeles County population.
Currently, nearly half of the county residents surveyed expressed unfavorable views of Bass, climbing from 32% last year.
In 2023, shortly after her election, Bass enjoyed her highest popularity level, boasting a 46% favorable and 23% unfavorable rating.
However, the recent survey, conducted between February 23 and March 9, shows a decline, with only 37% of respondents viewing Bass favorably, down from 42% last year.
Although this poll did not specifically inquire whether the catastrophic fires influenced residents’ opinions, Zev Yaroslavsky, a former City Council member and L.A. County supervisor who directs the Los Angeles Initiative at Luskin, suggested that the drop in Bass’ popularity is likely related to her handling of the crisis.
“Bass has taken the brunt of the criticism over the fires.
That’s the bad news.
The good news for her is this happened overnight, and she has an opportunity to, by performing well in recovery, win back people she has lost,” Yaroslavsky noted.
Some of the 1,400 residents surveyed reside outside the Los Angeles city limits and will not be eligible to cast votes in the mayoral elections when Bass seeks reelection in 2026.
In spite of the challenging circumstances, Bass is currently subjected to a recall attempt, although it poses a significant challenge for organizers aiming to gather the required signatures for a vote.
Post-fires, Bass has also seen disappointment in other major polling efforts.
A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by The Times and released in March, revealed that less than 20% of respondents rated her response to the fires as excellent or good, while over 40% deemed her performance to be poor or very poor.
In response to the criticisms, Bass has defended her leadership throughout the crisis.
She emphasized the rapidity with which city building permits for homes affected by the Palisades fire were issued, as well as the quick restoration of water and power, contrasting it with other fire responses across California.
“The Mayor is focused on leading what is on track to be the fastest disaster recovery effort in California history,” stated Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass.
These polls come in the wake of Bass’ tumultuous performance during and after the fires, especially given that she was in Ghana when the calamity occurred, despite forewarnings about the dangerously high Santa Ana winds.
Additionally, she engaged in a public dispute with her fire chief, Kristin Crowley, before ultimately dismissing Crowley after claiming the chief failed to alert her about concerning weather forecasts.
The Luskin survey also gauged public sentiment on several other issues, yet this year’s main focus was the tragic fires.
Over 40% of the respondents reported knowing someone personally affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires, which resulted in at least 30 fatalities and devastated thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding areas.
Moreover, more than a quarter of those surveyed indicated they had incurred some income loss due to the fires.
In a near-unanimous response, 89% of the players in the survey asserted that individuals who lost properties in the fires should be permitted to rebuild on the same site.
The survey findings also hinted at shifts in public perception regarding homelessness, a signature issue for Bass prior to the catastrophic fires.
For years, the percentage of L.A. County residents who believed homelessness was worsening had risen.
However, the percentage marked a decline in 2025, dropping by 8%, from 60% in 2024 to 52% this year.
Despite this improvement, only 10% of the community members believe the homelessness situation is genuinely improving.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-16/mayors-unfavorable-ratings-spiked-after-fires-survey-shows
