Harlem began the process of gentrification because its location was a big pull factor for developers, its surrounding areas was ideal for economic opportunities to arise and as such people who initiate gentrification would/could have been interested in taking advantage of said opportunity and would use gentrification as a means of expanding their influencer wealth. Harlem is likely a spot where developers would love to gentrify because they would make a lot of profit out of it. Harlem is made up of a population of about 300,00 and consists of four-square miles. Located the North of Central Harlem and according to the article Catch 22: “only two stops from midtown… does promise considerable economic opportunity for developers who initiate gentrification.” Harlem is the center of everything meaning that it is considered a transportation hub which attracts new businesses since businesses prefer areas with significant foot traffic for their promise of increased revenue. Developers see Harlem as a place where they will create property and investments, that cater to the white wealthier class, for cheap, then once business booms they will be the ones making big profit. Harlem is a big steal for developers.  

As a result of Harlem’s reestablishment, residents were displaced and the change of social status in Harlem led to an increase in rents and prices as well as the demographic of Harlem shifting drastically. The change of demographic leads to neighborhoods having an influx of white population pushing out the black low-income population. The prices of food and rent are increasing leaving many of the low-income residents homeless and resourceless. Harlem became a big investment space for developers.