Seattle Chinatown-International District sees boost in pandemic relief funds

A boost for Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID) — as small businesses in the neighborhood will get $388,000 in pandemic relief funds.

Businesses in the hospitality sector are among nearly 1,500 awarded relief funding to help cover losses and support recovery from the pandemic.

State-wide funds for small businesses will be almost $80 million.

This comes after the national trust for historic preservation listed the CID as one of the most endangered historic places.

The CID, a multicultural neighborhood in Seattle, is the center of the city’s Asian American community and has a long history dating back to the late 1800s. The CID includes three neighborhoods: Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon, named for the concentration of businesses owned by people of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese descent.

The trust said redevelopment could pose a real threat to neighborhood businesses.

The neighborhood is facing other challenges. Sound Transit is currently undertaking the third phase of its multi-billion-dollar regional Link light rail expansion, which will require the construction of a new tunnel under the CID.

Editor’s note: MyNorthwest originally reported that the state-wide funds of $80 million would all go to Chinatown-International District businesses. We regret the error.

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