Dr. Laureen Hom (School of Planning, Policy, and Environmental Studies) published a research brief “Planning for the Future of Chinatowns: A Systems Approach to Assessing Impacts and Needs” in the California State Library CRB Nexus Initiative.

From the key takeaways:
“Urban Chinatowns and other historic ethnic enclaves in the United States are experiencing threats of gentrification and forced displacement. Community stakeholders in urban Chinatowns often situate the neighborhood as a system of interconnected elements (i.e. residential, economic, institutional, and cultural) that serve local residents, the broader Chinese American community, and tourists. A systems approach to conducting assessments for Chinatowns should examine community relationships and use culturally relevant data collection strategies. The application of the systems framework to a community impact assessment for Philadelphia’s Chinatown showed how direct impacts to one aspect of the neighborhood, specifically transportation and mobility, would create ripple effects and direct impact to the residential, economic, and institutional elements of the neighborhood.”