ABOUT US

Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council

1,116

Parcels

858

Property Owners

52

Square Blocks

ABOUT US

The Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council (OCIC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to maintaining and supporting Oakland Chinatown, its small businesses, residents, and the greater Chinatown community.


The main goal of OCIC is to make Oakland Chinatown cleaner, safer, and more vibrant for the community. Our Chinatown businesses have suffered from a first wave of business loss during the pandemic when people were afraid to patronize our businesses due to xenophobic and misinformed beliefs that our neighborhood would give them coronavirus. We were hit with a second wave of hardship in the form of anti-Asian hate  when our elders, residents, and small businesses were targets of seemingly senseless violence. Our Chinatown walls, normally covered with wonderful community murals, have started to become defaced with graffiti that damages the cultural characteristics of the neighborhood.


OCIC, as a Community Benefits District (CBD), is a long-term solution to make our community feel safe, clean, and welcoming. OCIC provides safety and cleanliness through ambassadors and security services, graffiti abatement, promoting the unique qualities of our Chinatown and its businesses, managing events within our cultural district, coordinating volunteer efforts in Oakland Chinatown, and more.


We are governed by a diverse Board of Directors made up of Oakland Chinatown community members which includes property owners, small business owners, non-profits, and residents.


For a guide on local businesses in Oakland Chinatown, check out the Wa Sung Directory!


Common Questions

See some common questions and answers below, or email us at info@ChinatownOakland.org

  • What is the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council?

    The Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council (OCIC) is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization founded in 2021. Developed with the backing of Oakland Council President Nikki Bas and by a coalition of property owners, nonprofits, and community stakeholders, OCIC includes Oakland Chinatown and stretches to Lake Merritt Bart Station to the Alameda County Court House. OCIC funds special benefit services over and above what the City already provides. These services include; cleaning, safety, district identity and promotion, and public space activations.


  • Where is your main office?

    We are located at 638 Webster St. Suite 220 in Oakland Chinatown.

    • What is a Community Benefits District?

      Oakland's property based improvement districts (PBIDs) also known as BIDs (Business Improvement Districts), CBDs (Community Benefit District)  improve public space throughout the City.


      Per State law, the City does not maintain sidewalks or remove graffiti on private property; it is the responsibility of the fronting Property Owner. Often, the City's baseline services are minimal. This is why improvement districts are so important for our neighborhoods. By forming community benefits district, communities can pool property owner contributions to collectively identify, procure, manage and pay for improvement programs specific to an area.

    • How is OCIC managed?

      The District is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of individuals that represent property and business owners, residents, workers, nonprofits, and community members. Advisory committees meet regularly to collaborate on programmatic areas. OCIC staff implement and execute on the strategic vision of the organization outlined in the management plan.


    District Map

    These are the boundaries of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council District Map.

    OCIC Board of Directors 2023-2024

    NAME TITLE AFFILIATION MEMBER TYPE
    Stewart Chen President Careplus Chiropractic Health Property Owner
    Ann Fok Pacific Sales & Management Property Owner
    Anderson Gin Property Owner
    Hal Gin Vice President Property Owner
    Josephine Hui Oakland Asian Cultural Center, Toishan Benevolent Association Property Owner
    Pauline Lam Property Owner
    Carol Liao Anrol International Inc. Property Owner
    Joe Ma Vice President Toishan Benevolent Association Property Owner
    Bruce Ruan Alameda Sherrif's Dept. & Toishan Association Property Owner
    Dong Suh Treasurer Asian Health Service Property Owner
    Douglas Wong Vice President Chinese American Citizens Alliance Property Owner
    Inger Li Property Owner
    Ener Chiu EBALDC Property Owner
    Howard Lee Property Owner
    Michael Yim Secretary Property Owner
    Tim Chan BART Property Owner
    Jabari Jourdan Ali Community Member
    Sky Liang Asian Pacific Environmental Network Community Member
    Elaine Peng Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities Community Member
    Joshua Simon East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation Community Member
    Kenneth Tang Asian Pacific Environmental Network Community Member
    Lisa Liu Community Member
    Sandra Ue Community Member
    Linday Young Oakland Museum of CA Community Member

    2023 ELECTION INFORMATION : OCTOBER 24, 2023

    OCIC Staff Members

    NAME TITLE EMAIL
    Tony Trinh Executive Director tony.trinh@ocic-ca.org
    Shu-Yi Lin Operations Manager shuyi.lin@ocic-ca.org
    Yesica Zhang Administrative Assistant yesica.zhang@ocic-ca.org

    Governing Documents

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