Recently, the Chinatown CLT (Chinatown Community Land Trust) in Manhattan held a community heritage exhibition titled “Layers of Legacy: Reimagining Chinatown,” showcasing the dragon and phoenix decorations from the former Jing Fong Restaurant as one of the historical relics commemorating the prosperity of Chinatown. The exhibition also featured a series of old photographs of Chinatown, early Chinese magazines like the “Chinese American Weekly,” educational books, vintage electric irons from the heyday of the Chinese laundry industry, and the over 70-year-old sourwood chairs from the Lin Sing Association, all reflecting the rise and fall of Chinatown and prompting visitors to contemplate the causes of the current challenges facing Chinatown and possible solutions.
Since the 1980s, with a new wave of immigrants flocking in, Chinatown rapidly expanded on its existing foundation and reached its peak, becoming an important gathering place for Chinese on the East Coast. Jing Fong Restaurant, established in 1978, grew into one of the largest Chinese banquet halls in the area, alongside other major banquet facilities, hosting weddings, holiday celebrations, and various community gatherings, bustling with activity.
Yu Jinshan, the chairman of the Eastern United Association who has lived in Chinatown for over 40 years, recalled that back in the day, Chinese from other states would come to Chinatown for weddings and other events, especially on weekends and holidays when wedding banquets were held frequently, with some Cantonese restaurants having up to seven banquets a day.
Located on Elizabeth Street in Chinatown, Jing Fong Restaurant witnessed the prosperity and changes in Chinatown. However, in 2021, the second year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 800-seat Jing Fong Restaurant announced its closure. This iconic banquet hall in Chinatown entered history as an indelible collective memory of the Chinatown community.
Old photographs documenting the changes in the Chinatown community were also exhibited at the heritage exhibition.
Wang Di, a coordinator at the Chinatown CLT, pointed at the photos on the wall and mentioned that until about 10 years ago, this area’s East Broadway was a hub for people when the interstate bus terminal was still in operation, but now, the Chinatown population has significantly dwindled.
With the shortage of housing in Chinatown and rapid population decline, coupled with immigrants moving to areas like Flushing, Queens, and South Brooklyn, the central position of Chinatown’s community is gradually diminishing.
Yu Jinshan stated that without Chinese, Chinatown would no longer be Chinatown, and if it becomes an empty shell, Chinatown will lose its essence.
Visitor: Chinatown Lacks Young People – Urgent Need for Affordable Housing
The exhibition has been ongoing for several days, attracting both residents of Chinatown and visitors from outside. Apart from praising Chinatown’s cuisine, many people left comments expressing it as their spiritual home, with some noting the lack of activities for young people and the scarcity of young residents.
In the vision section for Chinatown, many wrote down hopes for “affordable rent,” “more housing suitable for everyone,” and “preservation of (Chinese) culture.” These messages reflect the long-standing housing issues in Chinatown.
Data from the land trust shows that the homeownership rate in Manhattan is only 24%, significantly lower than the national average of 64%. The situation is more severe in Chinatown, where the homeownership rate is a mere 15%, making it one of the communities in New York City with the lowest homeownership rates. The long-standing neglect of Chinatown by the government has led to almost no new affordable housing developments in the past 30 years, exacerbating housing shortages, population outflow, community instability, and increasing risks like deadly fires.
Wang Di also pointed out that over the years, some non-profit organizations in Chinatown have acquired many properties solely for renting, preventing a large number of properties from entering the market, contributing to the economic housing shortage.
He believes that addressing the issue requires going to the root cause, mentioning that “policy changes are crucial.” He particularly highlighted a proposal called the “Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act” (TOPA), which would allow tenants to purchase homes from landlords willing to sell, converting them into affordable housing. This process could be facilitated by community-led non-profit organizations like the land trust. According to state legislative data, the bill numbered A3353 was proposed in the 2023-2024 session of the state senate and is awaiting review, with similar legislative calls in the past in New York City.
Additionally, the existing housing in Chinatown faces long-standing issues of aging facilities, making it difficult to escape in the event of a fire. The exhibition also displayed English media coverage of fire scenes. The Chinatown CLT stated that it would continue to collaborate with community organizations to expand the CLT alliance, striving for the long-term stability and prosperity of the community and the city of New York.