The Los Angeles City Council unanimously elected its next president: Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who will replace Paul Krekorian in September.

Harris-Dawson joined “Inside the Issues” host Amrit Singh to talk about the challenges the city is facing and his vision for what the council will look like under his leadership.

The City Council recently approved Mayor Karen Bass’ $12.8 billion budget. However, three progressive members of the council — Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Marinez and Nithya Raman — all voted against the proposal.

Much of their opposition had to do with how much of the budget was being allocated to the LAPD, while other core services were being reduced. 

“I’m one of the ones who is always suspicious of 15-0 votes on budgets,” Harris-Dawson said. “Because all the people of LA never agree on everything, so what it means when you see a 15 to nothing vote is, it means some people in the city are not being represented.”

One of the biggest challenges the city faces is the issue of homelessness. Harris-Dawson was co-author of Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond for the city to build permanent, supportive housing for to help people experiencing homelessness. However, the council member highlights how the issue requires more dynamic solutions.

“You’ve got to tackle the problem from all sides,” Harris-Dawson said. “I think the city’s done as good, if not better, than anybody else at attacking it from the housing production side. Now we have to tackle it from the prevention side and the intervention side.”

The new council president will also be tasked with the challenge of restoring LA residents’ trust in the council itself after a number of scandals from members.

“There’s only one way to restore confidence,” he said. “And that is, we have to deliver for the people of Los Angeles.”