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City Panel Recommends Little Bangladesh & Koreatown As Official L.A. Communities, City Council to Vote on them Next
Proposed boundaries of Koreatown in Red and Little Bangladesh on 3rd Street in Black | View Proposed Community Boundaries in a larger map
It's been a year and half after debate began to officially (and finally) define the borders of Koreatown and to create a new community called Little Bangladesh. The process did not start off affably -- in fact, it was quite the opposite -- but at a city council committee meeting on Wednesday where the two communities were recommended for approval, only praise could be given by all parties involved.
“In the future, this will inspire other communities to collaborate and contribute to the City of Los Angeles,” Councilmember LaBonge said of the cooperation between the communities. A third proposal to create an El Salvadorian Corridor in the immediate area will also soon be debated.
Although the general area around Koreatown has always been recognized by Angelenos, neighborhood borders were never been officially defined by the city. In 1990, a Bangledeshi community began to grow within the area and in 2008, an application for a community name was submitted to the city. That prompted a K-Town community activist to submit his own proposal, setting off a heated debate between the two communities.
By Wednesday, however, everyone was giving applause to Concilmember Tom LaBonge, specifically staffmember Nikki Ezhari for working to find a solution. Little Bangladesh would be a short corridor along 3rd Street between Alexandria and New Hampshire. Koreatown would be bounded by Olympic, Western, Vermont and 3rd Street with a stretch of Western extending north to Rosewood.
The Education and Neighborhoods Committee recommend the two communities for approval of the full city council. Additionally, a third neighborhood called Sycamore Square (map below) was also recommended. Community leaders hope the full City Council will take a vote next week.
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