Ladies and gentlemen of Harlem, I give
you Bill Clinton. Like it or not, America's newest former president is also the newest resident of one of Manhattan's most famous neighborhoods, one that has traditionally been populated by African-Americans. In reality, Clinton is not actually living in Harlem, but his 8,300 square foot office, which houses a staff of about 10 people, is located on 125th Street and 5th Avenue, right in the heart of the neighborhood. The office is located on the top floor of a 14 story building and will cost the taxpayers $261,450 a year. It comes equipped with a private elevator, a private bathroom and splendid views of Central Park and midtown Manhattan.
The real story here is not the office itself but the effect Clinton's presence may have on Harlem, which has been undergoing some changes brought about by an influx of new commercial investment. It is unclear whether Clinton's move will affect this change. Many feel that his presence will spur more interest in the community, both from tourists and from commercial interests. This would be good for local shops, many of which are owned by 3rd and 4th generation residents. Some others in the neighborhood, notably the Black Panthers, are upset that Clinton will be working in Harlem. They feel that his presence and the presence of certain other businesses will drive up the rents in the community both for storeowners and the people who pay to live in nearby apartments.
No one can deny that the cost of living in Harlem has skyrocketed as the area has become more prosperous. The term given to this trend is gentrification. Through investment, a community can go from being poor to being prosperous, but the prosperity does not always reach the people who live there. Many small shop owners say the extra income they might receive from an increased interest in the area could never offset their rent inflation. Harlem storeowners could see their rents triple or quadruple the next time they renew their leases.
Both the public and private sector are certainly taking a greater interest in Harlem. The federal and state governments have invested $140 million in the area in the last seven years and will invest another $110 million in the next three years alone. Home ownership is up from six percent to 13 percent in the last seven years because banks have made over $100 million in loans to people looking to buy houses, and crime is down 50 percent since 1993. These are certainly signs of growing prosperity, but if this prosperity is not reaching everyone in the community, thousands of residents might be forced to move out of their apartments and sell their shops. What the area needs is a modified form of affirmative action (affirmative access?) to ensure that the businesses, such as McDonald's, Barnes & Noble and Disney, that are profiting from the commercialization of Harlem make efforts to hire residents of Harlem to work in their stores. It seems only fair that a person who has lost his or her job or business because of high rents should be able to work for the companies that helped cause the rent hikes to begin with.
As for Clinton's impact, his supporters claim that he is "coming to Harlem because of the economic and cultural renaissance that is occurring." Unfortunately, this is not true. Clinton is in Harlem because New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, backed by the media and the public, would not let Clinton have his first choice of office space, which was a $700,500 suite in upscale midtown Manhattan. It would seem, therefore, that Mr. Clinton did not select Harlem. Rather, he settled for it. Despite this he was welcomed like a conquering hero to the neighborhood upon the opening of his office last week. Every time he walks down the street, people who adore him will flock around him gleefully. Does this surprise anyone? Not me! Since he couldn't go where he wanted, Clinton went to where he'd get the biggest ego trip. All of those who say he is doing this to show his appreciation of the African-American community should remember where he lives: Chappaqua, New York, a nearly homogeneous white community.
Clinton will have virtually no impact on the community relative to the businesses that are moving in. He will not spur economic development or enrich the culture of the area, and he will neither worsen nor alleviate the problem of gentrification in Harlem. For the first time, Clinton is not the center of the story. The governments of New York state and New York City should make sure that the people of Harlem do not suffer as a result of the economic growth. What we need in this area and in others like it is an assurance that residents of the community will be able to share in the prosperity and success of commercialism, not be exploited by it.
