Community groups file lawsuit against proposed Walmart in Chinatown

Listen to the full audio story

Download the MP3

(Update: After the story aired Walmart sent a statement from Steve Resito, Sr. Director of Communications. "Since announcing our plans in Chinatown, we've opened new stores in Panorama City, Downey, Bell Gardens, Altadena, West Covina and Torrance. In each case, Walmart is having a positive impact and in the community we expect the same result in Chinatown," Resito said.)

Two community groups have filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles for the proposed Walmart at Cesar Chaveza and Grand Avenues in Chinatown.

The groups claim that permits awarded to the corporation by the City of Los Angeles were obtained unlawfully. It's just the most recent complaint in a challenge that has gone on for over a year.

The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance L.A. and the Southeast Asian Community Alliance are behind the complaint.

Ahia Nguyen, director of the Grocery and Retail Project at the LA Alliance for New Economy, said the permits issued to Walmart violate city law and that Chinatown storeowners and the large corporation are held to different standards.

"These families that scrape by and struggle to make a living and they do so not speaking a lot of Englisgh and yet are still expected to follow all the rules and procedures the city sets aside," Nguyen said. "When Walmart got their permits and did not have to follow their rules that's a slap to their face."

Gideon Chrackhoff is the lawyer for the plaintiffs in the case. Chrackhoff hopes that the filing of this lawsuit can give the community a voice and halt development plans.

"The goal in filing the lawsuit is for the courts to say that these permits should not have been issued without this hearing beforehand," he said. "So what we're asking to do is for the court to invalidate the permits send it back to the city to have the hearing and after that whole process we'll see what happens."

Sharon Lee is a Chinese immigrant and loyal customer to small bussineses in Chinatown. Her father was a merchant in China and she is very aware of how fragile a small business owner is in this economy. She said she fears large corporations like Walmart threaten the community.

"From an immigrant perspective I feel like a small business means a lot to them and and if it's closed down because of a large corporation I feel pity for them and am very sad," Lee said.

While community activists and some Chinese residents feel Walmart will run mom-and-pop stores out of Chinatown and incidentally their strong culture, a Walmart employee feels the same. Walmart has been widely criticized by labor groups.

Martha Sellers has been a Walmart employee in the Los Angeles area for nine years.

"Walmart is not a good employeer," Sellers said. "Walmart is not a good neighbor. Walmart will not be good for Chinatown."

Sellers said that creating jobs is not a good a good enough excuse to bring jobs to Chinatown.

"It would create jobs, but they're all going to be poverty jobs and they're going to be in the same boat as I'm in where you can hardly pay your own rent," Sellers said.

Walmart didn't respont to a request for comment. Chrackhoys said it could be up to a year until any progress is seen.