Posted on December 1, 2017 by Bill Parry in Times Ledger Times Ledger, By Bill Parry When the city converted the Pan American hotel into a shelter for homeless families in June 2014 without any dialogue with the Elmhurst community, homeowners and other residents were outraged and racially charged rallies and town hall meeting ensued as the Asian community was roiled. Lester Lin, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, was shocked to hear racial epithets being hurled at the mostly black and Hispanic residents of the shelter.