The guy's apartment building isn't called Silver Lake Heights, what he did was start using the term "Silver Lake Heights" to describe an area previously known as "Silver Lake".
Realtors often drive the naming of new "neighborhoods", especially if it is lower class area that they want to gentrify. You know, branding.
I understand what you are saying, places are whatever people agree to call them, but I don't doubt that real estate agents, developers, etc are eager to have places called by new names when they are gentrifying the area.
Sure, but only insofar as any group of people living in a neighborhood likes to name it. Or do you still call the city by its original name, Yerba Buena? :)
Edit: Oh wait, that was a renaming too; just ask the Ohlone.
Realtors often drive the naming of new "neighborhoods", especially if it is lower class area that they want to gentrify. You know, branding.