"Little Saigon District" What do ya think ? (Houston: live, mall)

[Jack Lance]

"Houston City Councilman Steve Le represents one of the most diverse districts in the city, and Bellaire Boulevard, its main artery speaks loudly to that fact. Chinese and Vietnamese eateries, Texas cantinas and a vast array of mom-and-pop businesses tout their wares in at least four languages.
Le wants to celebrate that diversity and spur economic development by, among other things, designating a 1.7 mile stretch of Bellaire Boulevard between Turtlewood and Cook Road as "Little Saigon District."

To some residents of District F – where 85 percent of the residents are Asian, African-American or Hispanic -- that plan is anything but a celebration of diversity, and some of them are vocally questioning Le's proposal."
Plan to create "Little Saigon District" on Bellaire Blvd. draws mixed reaction - Houston Chronicle

A related story

Alief residents fight plan to create 'Little Saigon' district

HOUSTON (KTRK) --
Residents in Alief opposed a plan to call part of their community "Little Saigon" at a town hall meeting Wednesday night.

Houston City Council Member Steve Le of District F is proposing the district in an effort to fuel economic development, he says. It would stretch from Turtlewood to Cook along Bellaire Boulevard in southwest Houston and would only include commercial entities. "Little Saigon" is a name used in other cities for Vietnamese-American enclaves.
Alief residents fight plan to create 'Little Saigon' district | abc13.com

[ipuck]

I actually like it. The Vietnamese community have really rejuvenated that area.

If it wasn't for them, Alief would be in worse shape than it currently is. I think the only thing holding it back from turning into ghetto is the strong Vietnamese community and business there.

[3shipguy]

What's next? Are they going to start naming other places across the US with a lot of Chinese businesses Chinatown? Oh wait...

[Dopo]

Everybody loves it, until somebody says "Let's create Little Mexico"

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Everybody loves it, until somebody says "Let's create Little Mexico"

Truer words have not been spoken.

[_OT]

There's districts like this all over the country, all it's doing is recognizing the Vietnamese relevancy within the community, not a big deal.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by _OT

There's districts like this all over the country, all it's doing is recognizing the Vietnamese relevancy within the community, not a big deal.

I think some people just don't like the moniker "little Saigon" for a variety of reason, from the fact it doesn't include other groups that live and do business in the area, to the name Saigon itself, being a reminder of a bitter piece of American history.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

There is a current proposal to turn a strip on Bellaire Blvd from Turtlewood to Cook Rd to "Little Saigon District". One thing a lot of people don't seem to understand when coming to Houston's "Chinatown" is the fact that the portion outside of the belt is more Vietnamese while the official Chinatown which is the portion within the Beltway is more Chinese. Some people go to Hong Kong City Mall or anywhere in the outer portion of "Chinatown" and say "this seems to be more Vietnamese". While this is true, they are taking the area outside the belt into account as being part of Chinatown. Which it officially isn't, nor is it more Chinese than other cultures, like the area inside the beltway. I hope this proposal goes through and maybe then, people will understand the difference between the two districts.

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Everybody loves it, until somebody says "Let's create Little Mexico"

Dallas had a Little Mexico once. At the time the Mexican population was smaller.

Nowadays I bet a bunch of parts of town would be competing over who would get to be "Little Mexico" (I suppose Second Ward would be the closest)

Some areas of Hispanic settlement are mixed Mexican and Central American so those places would likely be no gos for that.

[Vicman]

There was a "Little Saigon" designated with Vietnamese street signs in Midtown, but now that went away, the International District added its own Vietnamese signs on Bellaire.