By last month, the tenants were petitioning the housing department to install another developer, Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.

"He's got a tremendous amount of respect from the people in Harlem," said Paul Dunn, vice president of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.

Mr. Dunn, 47, is the vice president for health and human services for Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.

Lucille L. McEwen, the president of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, said it had become "more and more difficult to create affordable housing because Harlem is hot."

The city's decision was especially gratifying for Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.

"This project is dear to us," said Dr. Preston R. Washington, president of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.

He was a co-founder of the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI), which coordinated 90 congregations to develop 2000 units of housing and retail space.

Gregory O. Watson, the senior vice president of Harlem Congregations, said that under his proposal, the development team would find a market and negotiate the terms.

Forbes also brought Riverside Church to play a role in the redevelopment of Harlem, with the consortium of churches in Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement.

A former president of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, he helped jump-start the area's revitalization, working with the city to build more than 1,000 units of housing in the Bradhurst section.