Chinatown Cultural Development Strategy Community Meeting

On September 10th, sixty community members participated in the Chinatown Cultural Development Strategy Project community meeting. This is the second community meeting of the project organized by the DC Office of Planning (OP) and the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA). At the meeting, project experts presented the current economic and cultural state of District’s Chinatown. They also guided participants in a community brainstorming session that helped outline the challenges and opportunities facing Chinatown and potential solutions for its revitalization. Some of the suggestions made at the meeting include providing programs to help attract Asian businesses, additional public space for community events, and affordable housing.

Background: The Chinatown Cultural Development Strategy Project arises out of community concern for the District’s Chinatown. The project’s goal is to provide strategies to help reposition Chinatown as the region’s top destination for Chinese/Asian cultural businesses, programs, services, events and festivals. Through this project, the Mayor's Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA) and the Office of Planning (OP) hope to develop concrete steps to revitalize Chinatown as a cultural destination in the city.