Harlem Real Estate Hype in A Segregated City

New York Press published an article, “Black, White and Always Green,” that overviews the real estate market in New York in regards to people of color or the lack thereof. Below are some excerpts from the article. Feedback in reference to your personal experiences as it relates to renting or purchasing in the city is more than welcome in the comments section.

When asked how minorities fit into the recent housing boom, real estate agent “Philip” (a pseudonym) responded, “They don’t. Period. They don’t … This is something I’ve noticed: white women steer neighborhoods. If a white woman can come home at night in that neighborhood, that neighborhood gets a thumbs up. That is the determining factor of how successful a neighborhood’s gentrification can become, and how quickly.”

The creeping gentrification accompanying this outward expansion of new housing appears almost inevitable. Tenant attorney, Lynn Armentrout said, “One of the things that we see as the city becomes overrun by millionaires and multi-millionaires buying million-dollar apartments is that neighborhoods are getting gentrified right and left.”

A simple ride on an uptown A train offers a fair indication. Without noticing the passing stations, something becomes pretty clear when you arrive at 181st Street—the number of white people exiting the train is suddenly impossible to ignore. Bear in mind you have just passed 125th and 145th Streets. I lived in Washington Heights before and after its transformation, at which point it became affectionately known as “Hudson Heights.” It was interesting to watch a gentrification in the making as each year the numbers expanded and more of the white middle-class began getting off the train as far south as 168th Street. That, along with the new “downtown” style restaurant, the pharmacy’s make over, the new coffee shop and a gourmet market announced the successful completion of the neighborhood’s turnaround. It was all very swift and startling. I was curious, and asked one of my younger Dominican friends who grew up there what he thought of the changes. He was rather diplomatic: “It’s alright, but I don’t like any of these new assholes telling me to keep it down on my own street corner.” The Dominican family across the hall from me left shortly after that for a more affordable neighborhood east of Broadway.

I never thought of New York as a segregated city—it didn’t dawn on me until I became a real estate agent. My own experience as a rental agent in Manhattan isn’t a terrible place to begin. In four years of renting apartments all over Manhattan, I have rented exactly one apartment to an African-American. It doesn’t appear to be an industry oversight as the rental business is far too competitive to be discriminatory. In other words, if you have the money and need a place, most agents will be glad to charge you for their services, regardless of race or ethnicity. Of the three rental agents with whom I spoke, this was one issue that they all agreed on. If you can pay the rent and the fee, we’re happy to do business.

My next-door neighbor “Todd” left real estate a few months ago and had a similar experience. When asked how many African Americans he rented to in his time in the business he answered, “none.” He had rented to one Latino. When I asked him for some explanation, he said, “I worked primarily in Manhattan. Most people who can afford an apartment below 96th Street tend to be rich and white. I don’t think the reasons are very complicated. Race and class are often related. I noticed it, and it bothered me.”

One agent, when asked about experiences renting to minorities, said he was personally insulted by the question. More than a few people declined to participate at all, and had no interest in talking about the subject. “Charlie,” retired agent, said he didn’t see the problem either. When asked how many minorities he rented to over the years, he answered, “As many as walked into my office and needed a place.” But that was sort of what I was getting at; almost all of the people, whether renters or buyers, who have walked into my office over the years were white.

The Furman Center at NYU reached a similar conclusion in its 2005 State of The City Report. The study demonstrated that over the course of the three-year period leading up to 2005, there was a sharp decline in affordable rental housing throughout the city. Both the Furman Center and Dr. Beveridge have constructed almost identical maps that illustrate and clearly define the large areas of Manhattan below 96th Street as predominantly white neighborhoods with only pockets of the outer boroughs and parts of Upper Manhattan (Harlem) that could be legitimately classified as black neighborhoods. Other areas show high concentrations of Latinos and Asians. While looking at the maps, what struck me most was how clearly defined these areas actually are.

People want to live where their friends live. It’s no secret that if you’re a young black college graduate, chances are you’re going to know people in Harlem and Brooklyn and that’s where you are going to go.”After graduation, Lawrence moved to Harlem where a friend’s father owned a building. He already knew people there and it was cheap. He also agreed that price has a lot to do with it, “Price definitely plays a part. I knew a lot of white college friends who received support from their families. That’s not always possible for black families.”

Yuriel Layne moved to Harlem for a similar reason. A graduate from the University of Pennsylvania who works as a project manager for a financial services company, he and his girlfriend found their current apartment on the Internet and did not pay or use a broker. “I think in many ways, New York is a segregated city,” said Layne. “While diversity has increased, there are still large pockets that are totally concentrated. I’d like to see more diversity—that’s what New York is, and the neighborhoods should reflect that. My general feeling is that overall, minorities are struggling for affordable housing in this city.”

Source: New York Press

Posted in: Real Estate