Neigborhoods like Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles hold more than buildings – they are living expressions of history, culture and community. Since its founding in 1884, Little Tokyo has been a hub for Japanese Americans, nurturing small businesses run by the same families for generations, sustaining cherished cultural institutions, and providing a lasting sense of belonging for residents who have called the neighborhood home for decades.
This vibrant enclave has withstood enormous challenges. It survived the forced incarceration of its Japanese American inhabitants during World War II and the widespread demolition of homes and businesses in the 1950s to make way for municipal construction.
Today, Little Tokyo is facing gentrification. Rising rents and large-scale real estate development have displaced so many longtime residents and small businesses that the neighborhood made the 2024 list of America’s 11 most endangered historic places.
In response to the pressures of gentrification, a group of organizations, including Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) and the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, have formed the Sustainable Little Tokyo initiative “to ensure a healthy, equitable, and culturally rich Little Tokyo for generations to come.”
At Cal Wellness, we believe wellness requires inclusion — and that communities must have a central role in shaping their own futures. That’s why we’re supporting efforts in Little Tokyo through a combination of grants, program-related investments, and long-term partnerships. Since 2018, we’ve embraced a broader approach to philanthropy: using all the financial tools at our disposal to build resilience, economic opportunity and community power. That means not just grants, but also program-related investments such as low-cost loans or loan guarantees.
Our investments in Little Tokyo are designed to resist displacement, preserve cultural identity and strengthen long-term community ownership. Since 2023, we have made:
- A $1.5 million program-related investment to LTSC Community Development Corporation to advance the First Street North project (a major development that will host 248 units of affordable housing, including permanent supportive housing for veterans experiencing homelessness, along with commercial and community space).
- A $300,000 grant to LTSC, providing flexibility to improve the health and well-being of low-income residents, through sustainable development, local economic support, and preservation of Little Tokyo’s distinctive cultural heritage.
- A $250,000 grant to the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center to support the Sustainable Little Tokyo initiative and its vision for a just and vibrant future.
In a recent CBS This Morning story, LTSC Executive Director Erich Nakano highlighted why this community-centered work is so important:
“The goal of the project is to reclaim what used to be Little Tokyo and to be able to bring it back to life,” he said. “America really is a land of immigrants. They built special places like this throughout the country that remain a really important part of the fabric of what this country is and what it can become.”
LTSC’s impact extends beyond Little Tokyo. Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, LTSC has made community revitalization and cultural preservation across Southern California part of its mission. LTSC built its first affordable housing project in 1994 and has been using the lessons learned ever since to collaborate with underserved communities across Los Angeles to advance housing and community development projects rooted in equity and cultural integrity.
As we continue in this work, we remain committed to keep learning from our partners on the ground – those who know their communities best and are shaping their own futures. Little Tokyo’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when foundations activate investments that align with their mission and trust communities to lead the way.
If you want to learn more about our broader investing philosophy at Cal Wellness, learn more here, and read our most recent blog posted on Confluence Philanthropy.
