Some of these people act as though you are helping out one of the most ruthless drug cartel money laundering female terrorist around just by buying a home in cash or at a request for cash.

Is the lead drug dealer in the 50% and are any of the others his minnions?

The housing stock is shoddy, the majority of the properties are rentals, it's a high crime area (I've witnessed open drug sales & prostitution), and there just isn't much going on over there.  

Probably because they don't want you coming by for any reason, so if I had to guess, drugs... sorry, i'm stereotyping, but it's the only logical reason I can think of. 

Otherwise these one-of-a-kind neighborhoods would be lost to drugs/gangs/progress and end up as cookie box condos, their glory and wonder forever gone...I've specialized in gentrification and I know it takes a huge set to go into these neighborhoods and throw down your money.

. $350 worth of my stuff was missing (and I had receipts for it all), he had drugs in his possession.

coffee shops that call coffee something other than coffee, tight pants, short running shorts, Trader Joes, lots of bikes, attitude glasses (non-prescription), wine and tea stores, mustaches, edgy (slightly pornographic) art, etc.

I didn't come from much: I grew up in gang and drug infested south central Los Angeles in the 80's. 

So the comparison may be dumps or nice, by a park or next to the drug dealer. 

My class was lead by Regina Sims who later on got busted for maintaining a drug house...http://fox6now.com/2015/09/28/her-job-is-to-evict-people-from-drug-houses-now-regina-sims-is-charged-with-keeping-one/