Harlem's boundaries are generally agreed upon -- its name is sanctioned in both official documents and common usage -- and it is contained within a single congressional district.
By contrast, the Newton area "is very fragmented," Cremins said. It is split between two congressional districts, one of which includes distant Mt. Washington.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, July 08, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 46 words Type of Material: Correction
South Los Angeles: A photo caption with an article in Monday's California section about the area formerly called South Central L.A. said a mural depicting the neighborhood's once-thriving jazz scene was at 25th Street and Adams Boulevard. The mural is at 25th Street and Central Avenue.
The Los Angeles Times calls it "South Los Angeles." The police department places it within its Central Bureau, not its South Bureau. The Los Angeles Unified School District puts much of it in its East Los Angeles district, along with Boyle Heights. The city Planning Department calls Newton "southeast Los Angeles," along with Watts.
People who identify with only a single street or intersection are limited politically, officials say. Simple questions, such as how to label a flier for a community meeting, become puzzles, said Faisal Roble, a city planner for the South L.A. area.
John Huskey, president of Meta Housing Co., said namelessness may have subtly stalled development. His company is about to break ground on a mixed-use affordable housing project with a Fresh & Easy grocery store at Adams and Central.
Huskey said a name makes a place "easier to talk about," which is a key factor because real-estate development often starts with buzz among investors.
Many residents said they feel their area has been forgotten. But even if they could not say for sure what that area was, they expressed strong feelings about its future.
"It's not that they don't want a name," said Bowers, the Central Avenue shopkeeper. "If you gave them a name, they would wear it with pride."
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jill.leovy@latimes.com
