Preserving and revitalizing an ethnic Urban neighborhood in transition: San Francisco's Japantown better neighborhood plan

Abstract

This study discusses the history, transitions, governance, and planning of an ethnic urban neighborhood, as exemplified by San Francisco's Japantown in the United States. It presents a variety of challenges in urban ethnic neighborhood governance, including gentrification, redevelopment, heritage preservation, and the participatory public planning process. In response to economic neoliberalization, recent urban planning policies have inspired a diverse network of urban actors, including individuals, private corporations, and nonprofit community organizations to banded together to preserve their community's cultural heritage in the face of market-driven redevelopment and perceived gentrification. In San Francisco, recent movements have aimed to preserve the ethnic and cultural heritage of the city's Japantown. While the community has nurtured and been enriched by many different cultural and ethnic groups, San Francisco's Japantown has historically been represented by primarily Japanese American community organizers and postwar Shin Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) business owners and residents, marking it as a culturally diverse space. However, partly because of this diversity, recent community discussions on preserving Japantown have been divisive. While the general agreement is that the neighborhood's heritage should be preserved, many disagree as to how to balance preservation efforts with economic revitalization to ensure the community's sustainability. Using interviews and field observation, this study analyzes the strengths and challenges of one such movement, the Japantown Better Neighborhood Plan. Analysis of the campaign's implementation reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the plan and makes recommendations for future community governance.