National Black Church Initiative endorses Karen Bass for Los Angeles mayor

By AI, Created 8:56 PM UTC, June 03, 2026, /AGP/ – The National Black Church Initiative backed Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for another term on June 3, 2026, citing her record on homelessness, housing, public safety and infrastructure. The endorsement could matter in NBCI’s 3,677 Los Angeles churches and its wider coalition of 27.7 million members.

Why it matters: - The National Black Church Initiative’s endorsement could influence voters across its 3,677 Los Angeles churches. - NBCI says its broader coalition represents 150,000 African American and Latino faith communities and 27.7 million members. - The endorsement gives Bass support from a major faith network as she seeks another term as mayor of Los Angeles.

What happened: - The National Black Church Initiative endorsed Karen Bass for mayor of Los Angeles on June 3, 2026. - NBCI Los Angeles churches voted to back Bass for another term. - Rev. Anthony Evans, NBCI president, urged eligible voters in the group’s Los Angeles churches to pray, support and vote for Bass.

The details: - NBCI highlighted Bass’s record on homelessness, including back-to-back annual declines in homelessness and double-digit drops in street homelessness. - The group pointed to Bass’s Inside Safe initiative, which moved tens of thousands of Angelenos from tents and RVs into temporary and permanent housing. - NBCI cited Executive Directive 1, which it says cut the approval process for affordable housing units to 60 days. - The group also pointed to the first update to Los Angeles’ Rent Stabilization Ordinance in 40 years, which capped annual rent increases at 1% to 4%. - NBCI credited Bass with helping drive homicides to their lowest level in decades, including a drop of more than 50% in gang-related homicides. - The group said Bass reversed declines in LAPD staffing through accelerated hiring and created the Office of Community Safety for unarmed alternative crisis responders. - NBCI said Bass established an Organized Retail Crime Task Force that made hundreds of arrests and recovered tens of millions of dollars in stolen merchandise. - The group said Bass created Los Angeles’ first infrastructure plan to repair sidewalks, streets and streetlights. - NBCI said Bass authorized groundbreaking for a major expansion of the Los Angeles Convention Center and cut city fees to attract film and television production. - The group said Bass guided the city through extreme weather, including Tropical Storm Hilary, and reopened the 10 Freeway in days after an arson fire.

Between the lines: - The endorsement frames Bass’s re-election effort around a policy record centered on housing, safety and city operations. - NBCI’s message also ties local politics to faith-based organizing, with Rev. Evans explicitly asking church members to vote. - The release uses the endorsement to reinforce Bass’s image as a leader on issues that affect daily life in Los Angeles, especially homelessness and public safety.

What’s next: - NBCI said it will ask members and church voters to support Bass in the election. - Bass’s campaign is likely to lean on the issues NBCI highlighted: housing production, homelessness, crime reduction and infrastructure repair. - The endorsement adds another layer of faith-based support as the mayoral race moves forward.

The bottom line: - NBCI is backing Karen Bass as a mayor who, in its view, has delivered measurable progress on Los Angeles’ biggest urban challenges.