Fine, We'll Stop Calling South Harlem 'SoHa,' Real Estate Brokers Say

SOUTH HARLEM, NY — This right here is the power of persistent community outrage. Keller Williams, the big New York City real-estate firm accused of rebranding South Harlem as "SoHa" (in the tradition of more affluent NYC neighborhoods like SoHo, Tribeca, DUMBO, etc., and not to be confused with the trendy "SoHa" area of South Hawaii) to attract an, ahem, *different kind* of prospective homeowner to the neighborhood, has reportedly agreed to retire the term after massive backlash from neighbors and politicians.

A spokesperson for Keller Williams said in a statement that the firm's so-called "SoHa Team" — who "chose this name because they have lived and worked in this part of Harlem and the Upper West Side for nearly a decade" — will be changing their name to something less offensive.

"The team has a passion for the people, the history, and the culture of the neighborhood they also call home," the spokesperson said. "With respect to the neighborhood and people of Harlem, they will change their team name at Keller Williams NYC."

However, despite the firm's change in heart, which was first reported by NY1, the term "SoHa" was still plastered all over its Facebook page and street signage Wednesday.

Patch has reached out to newly elected State Sen. Brian Benjamin, who represents Harlem in Albany and went so far as to propose a bill banning SoHa last month, to see whether he plans to continue the campaign now that Keller Williams is backing down. We'll update this post if/when we hear back.

"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 at an anti-SoHa rally in May.

Here's video from the emotional protest:

This story has been updated. Video by Brendan Krisel/Patch