DC Chinatown community calls for more protections as cultural district faces erasure

Members of Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown community gathered Tuesday to demand stronger protections from the city as Asian-owned businesses in the cultural district fall in numbers.

Driving the news: The rally, organized by the Save Chinatown Solidarity Network (SCSN), came just one week after Full Kee Restaurant and Gao Ya Hair Salon shut their doors to make way for a $75 million Marriott Tribute Hotel. Ahead of their closures, the businesses were part of less than a dozen legacy establishments remaining in the neighborhood, with Full Kee having operated for over 40 years.

What they’re asking: The SCSN is calling on the D.C. Council to include several measures in the upcoming FY2026 budget, including funding at least $550,000 in annual support for Asian American Pacific Islander-owned small businesses (up from the current $125,000), reforming the Housing in Downtown tax abatement program to require developers to provide community space and rejecting legislation that could weaken eviction protections for Wah Luck House residents.

Why this matters: Activists argue the closures represent a broader pattern of erasure. SCSN, for its part, believes Chinatown is “on the brink of erasure due to the city government catering to developers and tourists.” Critics also argue that symbolic gestures like Chinese characters on buildings are not enough to preserve cultural identity. For now, a city task force has recommended bringing in an Asian grocery store and additional Asian businesses to help preserve the area’s character. The first vote on the D.C. budget is expected on Monday.