Even just a few decades ago. The neighbourhood I lived in in New York was my partner's rent controlled lower east side apartment that he'd be living in since the early 90's. He said when he moved in, there were regularly addicts nodding out in the stairwell, the elevator never worked, and the neighbourhood was not somewhere he would allow me to walk alone. It's two blocks from the projects. Apparently lots of casual, violent crime.

When I moved in in the mid 2010's the block was a brunch destination and the apartment across the street was full of bougie yuppies and college kids.