In New York most people on a realistic budget have no choice but to settle for a non-crappy apartment. Often times what looks like a deal, or even just affordable, is priced that way for a reason: it has bedbugs, it's right above a bar, it's right below the J train, someone just was murdered in it, etc.
It's actually pretty useful to have a registry of what truly sucks so you don't waste your time.
