Strengthening Chinatown / the International District
Chinatown/International District, and the people, business and organizations that call it home, are a valued part of Seattle. The history, culture and community represented here are part of what makes Seattle a thriving city and our goal is to protect and strengthen the neighborhood.
There have been concerns about rumors of forced removal and displacement of residents and businesses in the Chinatown/International District neighborhood. The City of Seattle is absolutely not attempting to remove, displace or force anyone living, working or owning a business in the area to leave.
There are many ways that the City is working to protect and strengthen the neighborhood, and to keep current residents in their homes:
- Through the Office of Housing, the City has funded over 1,000 affordable homes in the neighborhood which are required to be rented to low-income residents for at least 50 years.
- The City recently enacted the Mandatory Housing Affordability program, which requires any new buildings in Chinatown/International District to include affordable homes or pay into a fund that will be used to build affordable homes.
- The City is committed to supporting the Little Saigon Landmark Project through the Equitable Development Implementation program.
- The City is studying new uses for the Charles Street Campus, which could include community-owned affordable housing units.
- The City is working to implement the Commercial Affordability recommendations to help keep small, local businesses in the neighborhood.
- The Seattle City Council continues to follow up on the recommendations from the Chinatown/International District Public Safety Survey Results.
Seattle elected officials value the Chinatown/International District and the people who make it what it is. The City is doing all that it can to ensure that it remains safe and affordable for all, so that it can continue to be a welcoming home and cultural heart for the many Asian-Pacific Islander communities now and in the future.