As someone who actively chooses to live in an apartment building in a low income area when I could afford to live anywhere in my city, I must shake my head. I actually moved here from a detached home in the wealthiest area of the city, and it was a huge sigh of relief. I hated my old neighbourhood. The people were miserable and very invasively nosy, as if I needed to be evaluated.
I adore sharing a building with my neighbours, the sense of community is rich, and I really enjoy living in a mostly working class area. Most people here are very warm and open, and because often there are people in the building who need some sort of help, there's a culture of helping here.
Yes, thank you for this. My experience is similar: our neighborly contacts in subsidized housing were great, while in the SFH-neighborhood we moved to it's so-so, mostly no contact, some nice ones with superficial contact, some hostility even.
I think a lot depends on your own views. My parents, especially my mom is very open and sees people for who they are. They let us play with all the kids, including from families other people looked down upon (regarding e.g. income/occupation/manners).
We also had loose contact with an alcoholic lady in the house (I think my mom helped her out from time to time) and the neighbor on the same floor was an elderly alcoholic and chain smoker and my parents say he peed in the corners of his flat occasionally. He was nice enough. A bit gumpy, always let us pet his little dog when we met.
I think it's about having an open mind, being empathetic, not looking down on people for whatever reason (!), and embracing the individual and the diversity! People with less money or LBTM aren't worse people.
It's about enjoying and being content with what you have. Having one bathroom for three people isn't bad living conditions.
If you think the living conditions are a sad predicament you have to endure, you might just miss the great stuff.
So I wonder what exactly OP worries about regarding his kids?
I guess it's bad influence from kids their age introducing them to smoking/alkohol/drugs as this is a vulnerable age for this? That's why I wonder about how the kids are. I think everyone will be introduced to these things at some point of their life, probably by friends they make at school at their age. Seeing how an alcoholic person lives like can be a strong deterrent btw but the important thing is to make the kids strong.