I had a corner property and some locals were selling drugs right out of a spot across the street. 

Someone who lives across the street from me did just that.  

It’s going to be hard to reposition your units and get top rents while old tenants and (I’m assuming) poorly maintained properties are nearby on the street.  

The house is perfect for us, as it is right across the street from our son's school, so we have not been negotiating as hard as we otherwise might. 

I can't just kick her into the street. 

I assume that the price $/per sf is lower on these homes, due to the daylight basement, as ramblers built by the same builder across the street are currently at the $300/sf range. 1.)

There is a cash-flowing triplex I have the opportunity to buy but street view isn't reassuring me that this is a safe neighborhood.

Cleveland is the one I am most familiar with and it's also very popular with investors across the USA so I figured you'd get some value out of reading The Ultimate Guide to Grading Cleveland Neighborhoods.

Absentee Owners have been popular for a long time, and are apparently still somewhat effective (people are still mailing to them) but they are getting multiple offers to buy their home.

Book smarts make dinner conversation; street smarts make money.