Truly your voice is heard among the stars.




Sun 7/13


The Times has discovered that our Harlem congressman, Charles Rangel lives in a luxury building, Lenox Towers. He has 4 rent stabilized apartments (his home has appeared in the Style and Grace magazine) for which he pays less than a thousand a month apiece. What's more, it seems our governor David Paterson, his father Basil, another politician, and Percy Sutton, the former Manhattan Borough President also have rent stabilized apartments in the building. Did I tell you that the owner is a big-time New York developer? I guess it's just a lucky coincidence for the guys.

We are in the news lately, In The News, and it's all about real estate. There's money to be made in Harlem and all kinds of stories are coming to the surface. Last week, New York Magazine did a piece entitled "Whose Harlem is it?" This story was about Willie Suggs, the Queen of Harlem Real Estate. Willie sells homes to "whites" at unheard of prices for the area. Her last deal was for 2 mil and she's looking to sell another one for 3 mil plus. A non-stop talker, she inveighs against her fellow African Americans for criticizing her dealings. "'Black' people can be racist," she says. "We were never . . . never, the first owner of these houses." They were built for, and owned, by "white people." Willie appears to be doing underhanded things and cheating home owners, those who want to sell, and also her agents. Lots of people are angry and say bad things, some have even taken her to court.

Then again, last week a piece in the Times about the sound of West African drums in Marcus Garvey Park. This has been going on every summer on Saturday night till 10 pm since 1969. Apparently, there have been complaints emanating from the luxury co-op with its million dollar apartments across the way. Seems its tenants couldn't listen to their TV's, talk on the phone or get any rest while the ruckus is going on. The Times chose to label its residents as "young 'white' professionals."

Not to be upstaged, the Village Voice weighed in with a piece entitled, "Sugar Hill: A Sweet Spot in Harlem." Apparently Sugar Hill is enjoying a revival; they now have chain stores, banks and supermarkets. What with City College there, one resident states, "I see a lot more foreigners. . . I can expose my family to the wider world right here."

There's money to be made in Harlem, and as the saying goes, He needs a long spoon who sups with the devil.