Chinatown is unique because it is a cultural heritage enclave of not just Chinese, but other ethnic groups — Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, Thais, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, Hawaiians and Caucasians — all working and living in Chinatown. Each ethnic group has maintained its own identity and culture.

Because of urbanization, trendy fusion restaurants and specialty bars have supplanted bawdy strip joints and ladies of the night on Hotel Street. Contrasts abound: there’s an art district on Chinatown’s east side while on the north end, there still remains historic Buddhist temples, a Shinto shrine, Chinese schools and a Chinese cultural plaza.

To preserve this cultural heritage enclave amid urbanization, we need to make Chinatown more attractive to residents and tourists alike.

>> Make Chinatown a “point destination.” Just like Waikiki, Chinatown should be a place where local residents and tourists would want to visit and shop, eat or just sightsee. Advertise its various events — Night in Chinatown, Chinatown parade and First Friday. What about having a visitor information booth located in Chinatown?

>> Develop a master plan. What do we want Chinatown to look like? Where should we locate the businesses and housing in relation to the historic sites?

>> Constantly improve and maintain the infrastructure. The two greatest needs in Chinatown are public toilets and parking. There may be only two public toilets in Chinatown — one at the police station and the other on Pauahi Street. There is parking, but can be difficult to locate for someone unfamiliar with Chinatown.

>> Make Chinatown clean and safe. Thanks to the state and city, produce merchants are being educated on how to properly dispose of garbage and how to prevent and get rid of rats plaguing their stores. The city also power washes the sidewalks on a regular basis.

It has helped that the City Council passed a bill that prohibits sleeping and lying on the sidewalks in Chinatown. Before, morning merchants would find homeless people sleeping in front of shop doorways with the pungent smell of urine and feces.

Safety is enhanced by eliminating unwanted elements such as sleeping on the sidewalks and prostitution and drugs. There are no more strip joints, and thanks to the city and the presence of a police substation, there is less prostitution and drug trafficking.

Government must work with the community and business. About eight years ago the city wanted to place a Housing First shelter at the end of River Street for homeless who had drug and mental problems. It was a good project but in the wrong location — in the middle of two historic temples and shrine, a cultural center, schools, shops and senior housing. The city did not work with the Chinatown community before initiating the project, causing the community to organize and oppose the project until the city finally withdrew after a 2-year-plus battle. In its place, the community worked with the city to advocate for a much-needed community center and affordable senior housing. A developer now has been selected and the project will hopefully become a reality in the very near future.

There is a need for more affordable housing. There is a need for more housing for people on a fixed moderate income who want to live and work in or near Chinatown. Affordable housing — not just upscale condominiums or public housing — is the answer.

Urbanization can be balanced and can definitely help preserve the cultural heritage of our historic and unique Chinatown, but government and the community and businesses must first work together. Cultural heritage is not just historic buildings and ethnic restaurants, but people.

Wesley Fong is an attorney, community leader and president of the Chinatown Community Center Association.