Chinatown Economic Action Plan Released

Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assessor-Record Phil Ting and Supervisor Carmen Chu convened the Chinatown Economic Forum in April 2008. The goal was to bring key merchant, resident and community organization stakeholders together to assess the needs of Chinatown and build consensus around strategies to revitalize the area, focusing particularly on bringing more people and activity at night. The Office of Economic Development engaged EDAW, an economic development planning firm, and together they conducted interviews with over 60 individuals, surveyed over 150 shoppers, and analyzed published data. That research culminated in a proposed Action Plan for Chinatown which was shared at the Chinatown Economic Forum and presented at a subsequent meeting in July 2008. The final report and Action Plan comprise a comprehensive approach to strengthening Chinatown and relies on actions of City agencies as well as private entities to realize its objectives. The Mayor's Office, Assessor-Recorder Ting, and Supervisor Chu will sponsor quarterly meetings to provide updates on the plans. Another outcome of these efforts is a new web site promoting Chinatown, please visit it at: www.discoverchinatownsf.com.