Middle States Geographer, 2001, 34:73-81 ASSIMILATION OR ISOLATION? COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR STRATEGIES FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN MANHATTAN'S CHINA TOWN

ABSTRACT: The scale of con temporQ/Y immigration is reminiscent of large-scale immigration at the tum ofthe zo " century. However, the socio-economic climate differs substantially from what existed during previous immigration waves. An increasing proportion of immigrants live in poverty relative to the overall population. A 1999 study found no region of the country where immigrant poverty is not at least 60 % higher than that of natives. As assimilation into the mainstream economy grows more difficult for low-skilled immigrants, enclave economies, such as Manhattan '.I ' Chinatown, have swelled. Meanwhile scholars and policymakers debate the desirability of immigrant clustering. This paper opens with a synopsis of the assimilation debate. It then discusses how community organizations operate and specifically, whether community organizations ' redevelopment strategies lend support to the ethnic-enclave assimilation model or increase the likelihood of neighborhood isolation. The paper provides a brief description offive non-profit community organizations and an assessment of their redevelopment strategies. It then examines similarities between the organizations, including barriers they face to service provision. Finally the paper offers insights on how investments in human capital succeed as a redevelopment strategy for ethnic enclaves. THE ASSIMILATION DEBATE sagged under the weight of larger numbers of residents and fewer dollars (see Figure 1)(Cohen, 1999)