목요일, 10월 23, 2025
TexasN Korean Newspaper 미국 택사스 뉴스
  • Home
  • 정치N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • 경제N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • 사회N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • HealthN
  • K-비지니스
  • K타운N
  • 영상N
  • 여행N
  • 커뮤니티N
  • TexasN 전사이트보기
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • 정치N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • 경제N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • 사회N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • HealthN
  • K-비지니스
  • K타운N
  • 영상N
  • 여행N
  • 커뮤니티N
  • TexasN 전사이트보기
No Result
View All Result
TexasN Korean Newspaper 미국 택사스 뉴스
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • 정치N
  • 경제N
  • 사회N
  • HealthN
  • K-비지니스
  • K타운N
  • 영상N
  • 여행N
  • 커뮤니티N
  • TexasN 전사이트보기
Home Texasn K-Business

“Houston Proposes Excluding Asian Businesses from MWBE Program”

The Houston Asian Chamber of Commerce Strongly Opposes Houston's Office of Business Opportunity Proposal … "Effectively Shuts Out Fair Competition"

admin by admin
3월 24, 2025
in Texasn K-Business, Texasn K-town News, Texasn 텍사스 경제
소수 및 여성소유기업 우대 프로그램에서 아시아계 기업 제외한다는 휴스턴
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

 

Photo – At a public hearing held in Houston regarding proposed amendments to the MWBE program ordinance, Daniel Yoo, Vice President of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, speaks in opposition.

[Houston] The Asian Chamber of Commerce of Houston is pushing back strongly after the City of Houston moved to exclude Asian-owned businesses from its MWBE (Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise) program.

The City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity currently runs the MWBE program, which provides preferences in public contract opportunities to minority- and women-owned businesses. However, after a white couple residing in Spring, Texas filed a lawsuit in 2023 claiming reverse discrimination against white-owned businesses, the city commissioned a disparity study to strengthen its legal defense.

Houston hired MGT Consulting Group to conduct the 2023 Disparity Study. Based on its findings, the city has proposed an amendment to remove Asian American-owned businesses from the MWBE program and exclude Hispanic-owned businesses from preference in the construction sector.

This proposal has sparked growing backlash, with critics questioning the credibility of the disparity study and voicing strong opposition to the exclusion of Asian Americans.

Eden Lee, President of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce in Houston, attended a public hearing hosted by the city and clearly voiced his opposition to the proposed ordinance. “The Korean Chamber is working with the Asian Chamber of Commerce to respond to this proposal,” he said. “We cannot accept any move to exclude Asian Americans.”

The Asian Chamber of Commerce of Houston issued a firm statement:
“We strongly oppose the proposed amendments to Chapter 15 of the City of Houston ordinance by the Office of Business Opportunity. The proposed changes would cause severe and long-lasting harm to Asian-owned businesses and the overall Houston economy. While the city has long valued diversity, equity, and inclusion in business opportunities, this proposal would effectively shut Asian American entrepreneurs out of fair competition for city contracts.”

The chamber added:
“Asian American businesses have made significant contributions to Houston’s economy. Excluding them from MWBE consideration will make it harder for these businesses to secure city contracts, leading to fewer opportunities for growth and job creation. Asian American businesses still face discrimination and systemic barriers when pursuing government contracts, and removing them from the program undermines its original intent. Moreover, this policy change could send the false message that Asian American businesses no longer need support.”

Critics also warn that excluding a specific racial or ethnic group from a diversity program undermines the principles of fairness and inclusion, potentially weakening MWBE protections for other minority groups in the future.

The Asian Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Office of Business Opportunity to withdraw the proposal and refrain from submitting it to the City Council.

Concerns over the credibility of Houston’s disparity study

Low response rate: Only 2% of targeted businesses participated

Concerns over the disparity study’s reliability have also been raised by community organizations, not just the Asian Chamber. Although the city reportedly surveyed over 30,000 businesses during the study, only about 800 responded — a response rate of just 2%, leading many to question the validity of the findings.

Nevertheless, the study concluded that Hispanic and Asian American-owned businesses showed no measurable disparity in the professional services sector, and thus recommended excluding them from MWBE program eligibility.

The Houston City Council is required to act on the study’s findings by the second week of April. If not adopted, the city will have to rely on data from a 2006 study to defend against the 2023 lawsuit. While the city argues that using more recent data provides stronger legal footing, critics say the study’s sample size, methodology, and interpretation lack credibility — leaving the city’s next move under close public scrutiny.


Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited.

Catherine Wahrmund  amiangs0210@gmail.com

admin

admin

Related Posts

[제3회 한인 입양인 문화축제] 한국 전통예술과 함께 한 뿌리찾기 여정
Texasn K-town News

[제3회 한인 입양인 문화축제] 한국 전통예술과 함께 한 뿌리찾기 여정

10월 21, 2025
“뿌리를 잇는 축제, 마음을 잇는 시간” … 제3회 한인입양인 문화축제, 휴스턴에서 성황리에 열려
Texasn K-town News

“뿌리를 잇는 축제, 마음을 잇는 시간” … 제3회 한인입양인 문화축제, 휴스턴에서 성황리에 열려

10월 21, 2025
美 시민권 시험 더 어려워진다…트럼프 행정부, 문항·기준 대폭 강화
Texasn K-town News

美 시민권 시험 더 어려워진다…트럼프 행정부, 문항·기준 대폭 강화

10월 17, 2025
Next Post
원·달러 환율 1,467원 돌파

원·달러 환율 1,467원 돌파

REAL ID 없으면 미국 국내선 못탄다 … 5월 7일부터

REAL ID 없으면 미국 국내선 못탄다 ... 5월 7일부터

2025 차세대 동포 모국 초청연수 참가자 모집 시작

2025 차세대 동포 모국 초청연수 참가자 모집 시작

Recommended

주한미군 ‘전략적 유연성’, 타이완 분쟁 개입론 재점화…”서울의 우려 커져”

주한미군 ‘전략적 유연성’, 타이완 분쟁 개입론 재점화…”서울의 우려 커져”

7개월 ago
한국 외교부 “LA 이민자 단속 반대시위 관련, 각별한 유의” 당부

한국 외교부 “LA 이민자 단속 반대시위 관련, 각별한 유의” 당부

4개월 ago
텍사스 주정부 공무원이 개인정보 무단열람 … 누적피해자 9만 4천명

텍사스 주정부 공무원이 개인정보 무단열람 … 누적피해자 9만 4천명

6개월 ago
트럼프 대통령, 연방항공청(FAA) 직원 수백명 해고

트럼프 대통령, 연방항공청(FAA) 직원 수백명 해고

8개월 ago
No Result
View All Result

Trending

[제3회 한인 입양인 문화축제] 한국 전통예술과 함께 한 뿌리찾기 여정
Texasn K-town News

[제3회 한인 입양인 문화축제] 한국 전통예술과 함께 한 뿌리찾기 여정

by admin
10월 21, 2025
0

  사진/ 한나래 제공 제3회 한인 입양인 문화축제(Korean Adoptee Cultural Roots Festival)가 지난 18일(토) 휴스턴 아시아소사이어티텍사스센터(Asia Society...

“뿌리를 잇는 축제, 마음을 잇는 시간” … 제3회 한인입양인 문화축제, 휴스턴에서 성황리에 열려

“뿌리를 잇는 축제, 마음을 잇는 시간” … 제3회 한인입양인 문화축제, 휴스턴에서 성황리에 열려

10월 21, 2025
[태백기행] ‘검은 금‘의 기억을 걷다 …. 태백석탄박물관, 탄광문화촌

[태백기행] ‘검은 금‘의 기억을 걷다 …. 태백석탄박물관, 탄광문화촌

10월 20, 2025
美 시민권 시험 더 어려워진다…트럼프 행정부, 문항·기준 대폭 강화

美 시민권 시험 더 어려워진다…트럼프 행정부, 문항·기준 대폭 강화

10월 17, 2025
미국 여권파워 12위로 추락 … 한국은 세계 2위

미국 여권파워 12위로 추락 … 한국은 세계 2위

10월 17, 2025
  • Home
  • 정치N
  • 경제N
  • 사회N
  • HealthN
  • K-비지니스
  • K타운N
  • 영상N
  • 여행N
  • 커뮤니티N
  • TexasN 전사이트보기
광고문의: amiangs0210@gmail.co,

© 2025 TexasN - TexasN Korean Newspaper empowered by ApplaSo.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • 정치N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • 경제N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • 사회N
    • Texas
    • USA
    • Korea
  • HealthN
  • K-비지니스
  • K타운N
  • 영상N
  • 여행N
  • 커뮤니티N
  • TexasN 전사이트보기

© 2025 TexasN - TexasN Korean Newspaper empowered by ApplaSo.