How Sunset Park Became Brooklyn's Largest Chinatown in Just Decades

Sunset Park in Brooklyn has grown into the city’s largest Chinatown, with a population now exceeding 200,000. The Brooklyn Chinese-American Association (BCA), founded in 1988, has played a key role in supporting this community through language assistance, crime prevention, and cultural activities for all ages. The transformation of Sunset Park began in the 1980s, when Chinese immigrants settled along Eighth Avenue. Shiu Kan Leung, a retired business owner, opened the first Chinese-owned store there in 1980 and later led a local merchant group. As the community expanded, challenges arose, including gang activity targeting small businesses.

BCA was established in 1988 by Paul Mak, who saw the need for support among crime victims facing language barriers. Two years later, the organisation pushed the NYPD to assign a bilingual officer to Sunset Park, improving communication between police and residents. Around the same time, BCA launched a crime victims hotline with translation services to help immigrants navigate interactions with law enforcement.

Today, the neighbourhood thrives with services for all generations. Preschoolers attend a daycare centre where they take part in dance, painting, and play. Just a block away, seniors gather for traditional Chinese opera, exercise classes, and calligraphy practice.

BCA continues to address community needs, from safety initiatives to cultural programmes. Its work reflects the growth of Sunset Park from a small enclave of around 3,000 Chinese residents in 1990 to the bustling Chinatown it is now. The BCA’s efforts have helped shape Sunset Park into a vibrant hub for Brooklyn’s Chinese community. With ongoing support for crime prevention, language access, and cultural activities, the organisation remains central to the neighbourhood’s development. The area’s evolution from a few thousand residents to over 200,000 highlights its significance as a cultural and economic centre.