Historically, Harlem is most renowned for the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s, when it was the urban cultural center of black America - home to famous jazz venues and birthplace of a wealth of famous writers, musicians and actors. The area, however, was hard hit by the Great Depression and spent several decades immersed in extreme poverty and distress. Crime-fighting initiatives and retail development in the 1990s helped to bring the neighborhood out of decline and during this decade, property values in Harlem increased 300 percent. Due to its historically black culture, gentrification of Harlem is sometimes seen as controversial, but it remains a more affordable neighborhood for New Yorkers of all ethnic backgrounds. Harlem is also home to great landmarks (such as the Apollo Theater and the Museum of the City of New York) and educational institutions (like City College and The Harlem School of the Arts).