Little Tokyo Service Center, a Community Development Corporation, was established as the Little Tokyo Service Center in 1979 by representatives of various Japanese American groups who wanted to form a multipurpose social service center. Little Tokyo Service Center aimed to provide linguistically and culturally sensitive social services to the Little Tokyo community and the broader Japanese American community in the Southland.

Over the years, Little Tokyo Service Center grew as it responded to pressing community needs. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Center began advocating for the housing rights of low-income residents who were being evicted to make way for private redevelopment. Out of this struggle was born the Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation, which was established as a subsidiary of Little Tokyo Service Center in 1994. Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation focused on community redevelopment, affordable housing, and revitalization of Little Tokyo, while Little Tokyo Service Center continued to provide social services to those in need.

Little Tokyo Service Center and Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation officially merged in 2004 as Little Tokyo Service Center, a Community Development Corporation. The consolidation of the two organizations allows for streamlined administration and governance, as well as the ability to holistically serve our community through the provision of social services and community development services under one roof.

The mission of the Little Tokyo Service Center, a Community Development Corporation, is to meet the critical needs of people and build community.