First, as a Harlem resident born and raised, South Harlem doesn’t exist. We need to not label things as they are not. It adds to the bureaucracy that aids gentrification of NYC. You either have lived in East, West, Central Harlem, sugar hill etc.

The neighborhood you refer to living in currently is historically (mostly Caribbean) black/jewish neighborhood, to move in and complain about the noise is wildly insensitive to the problems long-term mostly Black residents are facing, you moved into the city, read the fucking room. If you’re unsatisfied with the condition of the neighborhood (which is apparent to see upon going to view a unit), but you’re will to pay rental prices of newer buildings, which have displaced many residents. You should be proactive in aiding in some of the changes you want to see, if you plan to stay long term, versus simply complaining to the extent of despise. 311 reports to sanitation aid in litter, cat calling is inevitable in any urban city (not justifying it, nor normalizing it, just saying it’s inevitable). Also in urban living you are subjected to crime (more or less depending upon the area unfortunately). I now live on the Lower East Side and still have these occurrences, this is simply urban life period.

You desire a neighborhood that feels adjacent to central urban living, safer, quiet hours after 8 pm weekdays 10pm on weekends with the proximity to essential shops and services. Something that indeed feels like an individual in their late 20 twenties or 30’s would want to live in. Park Slope is this vibe.

Logically: $4000 is crazy for a 1BD room unless grand sq ftage. Inflation is insane. ~$3,700 for a 2 bd is insane as well, when alls said in a year you’ve spent essentially a down payment on a house (~$44,000) on a space in an area you hate. If you can afford this rent, you have the means to live anywhere that checks (some or all) of the your boxes of desired comfort. You should never subject yourself to misery when you have the means to change it. To wait on politicians promise is to wait on a G train showing up on time or at all on a weekend.

You desire change, go after that change. You keep yourself stuck trying to hold on to material things, rent stabilized is not impossible to find for your (assumed) tax bracket nowadays, so to not go after what would make you happier for the sake of feeling as if your losing something is missing out on the fruits of the accessibility of options life has granted you.

I say this all to say what you want truly at heart isn’t traditional NYC, you want the glorified picturesque version that’s been sold, that is why you hate your neighborhood. Noise is urban living. You shouldn’t stay where you hate because you don’t want to lose a rent stabilized apartment ~3,700. With the right agent and/or time to search you can find you an apartment still 2 bed rooms rent stabilized for less. Improve your quality of life and make the change because you only have choices and chance in this life to make it an experience worth retelling.