The Coalition to Save Harlem (CSH) is a campaign organization whose aim is to reclaim,

preserve and protect ''Preserve and Protect'' is a 1968 political novel written by Allen Drury. It is the third sequel to ''Advise and Consent'', for which Drury was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1960, and is followed by two alternate sequels of its ow ...

the local community of

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Members of the organization include residents, business owners, community-based organizations, artists, activists and civic groups. The Coalition to Save Harlem advocates for community improvement and development that is in the best interest of the long-term

residents In law and conflict of laws, domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal law", which includes the law that governs a person's status and their property. It is independent of a person's nationality. Although a domicile may change from time t ...

of the Harlem community, and therefore encourages community participation and leadership in the development process. The group campaigns for housing rights and the rights of locally-owned business and

street vendors A hawker is a vendor of merchandise that can be easily transported; the term is roughly synonymous with costermonger or peddler. In most places where the term is used, a hawker sells inexpensive goods, handicrafts, or food items. Whether stationa ...

, and members also address issues regarding

gentrification Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...

, education, housing, employment and economics in Harlem and adjoining neighborhoods and communities. The CSH was extensively involved in organizing opposition among the Harlem community against the 125th Street Rezoning Plan proposed by the

New York City Department of City Planning The Department of City Planning (DCP) is the department of the government of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning. The department is responsible for land use and environmental review, p ...

from late 2007 to mid-2008. The CSH organized the "Hands Across Harlem" event that encouraged Harlem residents to demonstrate peacefully against the plan. One focal point of dispute was the largest building in area in Harlem. Legislation was proposed requiring the owner to give the building back to the community. After many hearings and support from local politicians including

Charles Rangel Charles Bernard Rangel ( ; June 11, 1930 – May 26, 2025) was an American politician who served as United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for districts in New York City for 46 years. A member of the Democratic Party (Unite ...

, the legislation became a way for Harlem residents to be sure that their culture was being preserved. The CSH, represented by the real estate attorney

Adam Leitman Bailey Adam Leitman Bailey is an American lawyer who practices residential and commercial real estate law as founder of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. He was involved in several notable legal cases. The Martindale-Hubbell peer review system gave Bailey ...

, filed suit against the developer, who eventually settled for over $1 million and allowed the tenants to continue their residency, along with a large payment. The building still stood in July 2011.

References

External links

Coalition to Save Harlem official website
archive version dated July 8, 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Coalition To Save Harlem Harlem Organizations based in New York City