CJP Asks Chinatown Residents: Is the Waterfront Development a Trick or a Treat for Tenants and Small Businesses?

On Halloween, the Chinatown Justice Project held a creative action in Chinatown that highlighted how the City’s waterfront development plan for the East River will further the gentrification of the neighborhood and increase the pace of displacement of low-income tenants and small businesses. The event featured “Mayor Bloomberg” as the “Development Devil,” who spoke about his plans to push forward development and continue to gentrify poor and working-class neighborhoods of color during his potential third term as mayor. “We know that four more years of Mayor Bloomberg means four more years of luxury development, gentrification, and displacement,” said CJP youth organizer Kyle Lin, who played Bloomberg during the action.

During the event, CJP organizers and tenant members spoke to Chinese, Latino, and Black residents about the impact that the waterfront development will have on low-income residents and small businesses:

Impact on Chinatown tenants:
* Landlords will raise rents and also evict even more tenants, in order to bring in wealthier residents who can afford to pay $4000 or more in rent per month.
* Wealthier people will move in, displacing even more low-income tenants.

Impact on Small Businesses:
* Small businesses will close – their rents will go up as landlords realize they can charge much more for retail space.
* Small businesses in Chinatown will lose their customers as Chinese tenants are forced to leave Chinatown, which will lead to the closing of small businesses as well.

CJP is working with tenants and small businesses to make sure that no one is displaced because of the waterfront development. We're also working to make sure that what ends up being on the waterfront meets our community's needs. For more information, contact Esther Wang at ewang@caaav.org or (212) 473-6485.