Democratic Rep. Karen Bass is running for mayor of Los Angeles

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) is ready for a new challenge, officially kicking off her campaign for Los Angeles mayor on Monday.

Bass, 67, now represents California's 37th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Los Angeles, and previously served as speaker of the California state Assembly. She is the co-founder of the nonprofit Community Coalition, which focuses on social and economic issues in South L.A.

In a statement, Bass made it clear that one of her top issues is homelessness. "Our city is facing a public health, safety, and economic crisis in homelessness that has evolved into a humanitarian emergency," she said. "I've spent my entire life bringing groups of people together in coalitions to solve complex problems and produce concrete change — especially in times of crisis."

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There are already several other candidates in the running to replace Mayor Eric Garcetti, including City Councilman Kevin de Léon, City Councilman Joe Buscaino, City Attorney Mike Feuer, real estate broker Mel Wilson, and business leader Jessica Lall.