The specter of unwanted change has loomed over a quiet corner of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District for nearly the past four years. [...] Displacement is a genuine concern in Network cities, which, in addition to Seattle, include Boston, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Toronto. — Crosscut
Several city staples like Chinatowns are facing the effects of gentrification and urban displacement. "White populations in Chinatowns grew faster, for example, than the overall white populations in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, according to a study by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. The study also found that, though Asian Americans remain the largest ethnic groups in those Chinatowns, they no longer represented a clear majority."
Demographic transformations are rapidly growing throughout these "Network cities," which result in areas like Chinatowns to be vulnerable to gentrification, luxury development, and displacement. Using the city of Seattle as an example, a city study revealed that in 2016 the Chinatown-International District plus Little Saigon to the east had experienced redevelopment in some way. Already surrounded by an influx of transit hubs and sports stadiums, these neighborhoods and its residents are experiencing a hit.
In Seattle, "the view of the future is beginning to be obscured by 17-story buildings certain to start pricing out the Chinatown-International District's distinct Asian flavor. That this fits into a wider, North American trend for Chinatowns will be of no consolation to the displaced victims of yet another whitewashed Seattle neighborhood."
6 Comments
Being Chinese, I'm not sure how to feel about this.
Most cities with large Chinese population would have additional (real) Chinatown(s). In the case of New York, it's Flushing. For Los Angeles, it's Monterey Park. While in Toronto, Chinese go to Scarborough and Markham. It is because the original Chinatown was too dirty, smell bad, lame, see low quality things, store attendants are rude... It's like time froze after the war there, so young Chinese don't want to visit Chinatown. What I'm saying is that it isn't something that White people are doing to the Chinese, it's what many Chinese also wanted. I'm not sure the figure of displacement, but many simply move away to better neighborhood. I don't think it is necessarily a loss.
In the case of Toronto, the outer fringe of Chinatown along Spadina has been semi-modernized. I see it as a good thing, especially for foodies. The restaurants are clean, and polite. They offer exciting new food options. (Too many bubble tea shop, granted). Their great service elevates the whole area, forcing the old, ugly, dirty places to close.
In addition, a lot of Chinese face racism because of the association with ugly, dirty Chinatowns. People just assume you are also dirty and poor. Seriously, people just assume I work in a Chinese grocery store, eating MSG food all the time! On the other hand, it would be nice to have a Chinatown. But only if it is beautiful, on par with modern Shanghai or Hong Kong level.
I just think that it is very annoying that when there is a Starbucks in Chinatown, people think, "Oh, poor Chinese being displaced." It's like saying we are weak, this thing happened to us. But the truth is that we also made that happen. Chinese also like Starbucks and modern things.
Also, why is it bad that there are more White population in Chinatown? For me, many of my friends have interracial marriage and their husband and wife move in with them in Chinatown. Back in the 90s, I have met born and raised New Yorker friends who has never step foot in Chinatown because it was too scary. I think it is great that people are getting along.
Well said.
Ditto...could be said of all ethnic enclaves.
this is my impression too, based on the part of my family that is chinese. it's a mark of assimilation that many chinese feel comfortable moving outside of enclaves, much as happened with Jewish immigrants, Italians, and Irish in NY, Chicago, Boston 60-80 years ago. There might be some bittersweet aspects but it's on the whole a positive outcome reflecting a desirable social development.
I think anytime people make a reflexive assumption that gentrification is undesirable, we should consider the opposite conditions. Gentrification is a weak paradigm for evaluating urban change.
One opposite to gentrification is an environment in which ethnic enclaves persist indefinitely. On the outside, people move around at will, cities grow and change. But within, the minority group remains distinct, traditions persist, few leave and outsiders do not enter. This is a ghetto in the original sense (Venice's Jewish Quarter) and indicates resistance to integration and strong racism.
The other un-gentrification is what was seen in NY and Chicago during the period of 'white flight' when affluent white people moved out of some urban neighborhoods and poor minorities moved in. This downgrading of economic circumstances is essentially the opposite of gentrification and I've never seen described as a positive phenomenon. Though possibly it seemed good to some at the time when incoming disadvantaged groups felt empowered to have access to neighborhoods with well developed infrastructure and desirable housing. Unfortunately those don't compensate for social exclusion, and eventually succumb to political neglect.
There are no evictions occurring at 920 Everett
Street (it’s not legally allowed and the owner has stated such), no
tenant is being put out on the street during this pandemic, and the
tenants are not paying any rent. You can confirm by looking at the
tenants’ social media pages.
https://www.change.org/p/los-a...
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