Improving Community Engagement in Little Tokyo

In response to the situation in Little Tokyo, this study investigates the community engagement process to help planners address past injustices and more effectively work with communities moving forward. These planners must recognize that the field of urban planning is responsible for the forceful removal of communities under the guise of “urban decay,” and is a direct cause of why some communities remain vulnerable and impoverished today. For many, this history has not been forgotten. Such historical trauma continues to live on, degrading trust between affected communities and public agencies. In future developments, these agencies must understand this trauma as they work with communities to build a better future.

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