Kendal Fisher has lived in Harlem since he arrived in New York nine years ago, having spent much of that time in a large rental complex in Manhattanville.

Mr. Fisher, 34, stayed there for six years, with his monthly rent rising to around $1,650. “I lived in a studio,” he said. “It was all I could afford, and it was all I needed.”

That changed over time. He often had guests sleeping on the couch, infringing on his privacy. And he adopted Seven, an energetic miniature schnauzer. “I felt the dog needed more space to run around,” he said. “In a studio, she’s running in a circle.”

His salary grew, and last spring he decided to upgrade to a one-bedroom. Mr. Fisher, a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, wanted to move a bit farther south, to shorten his commute to Midtown, where he works as an executive assistant. Most of all, he craved some creature comforts — namely, a washer-dryer and central air-conditioning.