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Little Tokyo Gets Out of Jail
by Mike Liu
8 /20/03
(Thanks to Evelyn Yoshimura)
The Little Tokyo community united to turn back city attempts to build
a 500-bed jail next to the 98 year-old Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple.
on First and Alameda streets. Community groups collected 13,000 signatures
in less than 1-1/2 months. On July 29, Counciilwoman Jan Perry announced
to 200 Little Tokyo and adjoining Arts District community members that
the “jail was off the table.” The bomb squad was also removed
from the proposal from the site.
"From young activists to the business community, nobody wanted a jail," said
Evelyn Yoshimura, a member of the Little Tokyo Community Council, a coalition
of 80 groups. Yoshimura explained that Nishi is the "mother" temple
to 15 other temples throughout Southern California, so that network supported
the petition work. Senior residents, organized by the Little Tokyo Service Center
(LTSC) also collected significant numbers of signatures as well as small businesses
in the area, many who were active for the first time. Community pressure was
critical in Councilwomen Perry and eventually Mayor James Hahn’s opposition
to the jail and other parts of the project.
Get out of Jail 2 - Still Organizing
Nishi Hongwanji Temple - Little Tokyo
