Harlem Congressman Joins Fight Against 'SoHa' Rebranding

HARLEM, NY — A host of current of former elected officials gathered in front of the historic Apollo Theater on Monday to denounce efforts to rebrand a southern portion of Harlem as "Soha."

During the press conference Congressman Adriano Espaillat announced that he would be introducing a house resolution in Congress titled "Supporting the Protection of the Name Harlem," which would formally establish that the area currently named Harlem keeps the name.

"Harlem is a treasure of New York and has long stood as the center of black culture and African American history," Espaillat said in a statement. "I along with leaders and constituents of this community stand united to vigorously oppose the renaming of Harlem in yet another sanctioned gentrification. This is an incredibly insulting attempt to disown Harlem’s longtime residents, legacy, and culture – and we simply will not stand for it."

Officials such as City Councilmen Ydanis Rodriguez and Bill Perkins, former Gov. David Paterson, former Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields and State Senator Brian Benjamin — who has introduced a bill in the State Senate that would prevent changing neighborhood names without community consent — joined Espaillat Monday to denounce "Soha."

Benjamin's bill — called the "Neighborhood Integrity Act" — would require public officials to initiate a public review procedure to rename a neighborhood or modify its established geographical boundaries. It would also regulate private interests by subjecting real estate brokers to fines and the loss or suspension of their license for marketing properties in neighborhoods that aren't officially recognized

The bill could potentially mean the end for "neighborhoods" such as BoCoCa, SoBro, ProCro and most importantly to Harlemites, SoHa.

"How dare someone try to rob our culture and try to act as if we were not here and create a new name and a new reality as if the clock started when other people showed up" Benjamin said during a May rally to denounce "Soha."

Photo by Seth Wenig/Associated Press