DENVER, Colorado — A Colorado nonprofit has released a community preservation study calling for protections against displacement in Denver’s Little Saigon district, a Southeast Asian cultural corridor along Federal Boulevard, as rising costs and aging infrastructure are straining longtime businesses and residents.
Colorado Asian Pacific United, also known as CAPU, spent roughly three years compiling the study, which identifies crumbling infrastructure, lack of affordability, public safety concerns and limited access to institutional resources as the most urgent threats facing the district. The area covers Federal Boulevard south of Alameda Avenue to Mississippi and extends from Alameda Avenue to Zuni Street.
“Some of the key themes that we found was that everyone really loves the area or loves the history of the area,” said Joie Ha, executive director of CAPU. “There’s a desire to preserve the cultural identity, and many people want to stay, but they just can’t afford to.”…