East Charlotte gets a bad reputation but I've lived here 2 years and want to defend it

Yes, it's more car-dependent than NoDa or Dilworth. Yes, the housing stock is older. But the rent is real, I pay $1,100 for a 1BR that would be $1,700 in South End. My neighbors know my name. There are incredible restaurants, mostly Latin American, that the Charlotte food press ignores. It's not for everyone but the negative reputation overstates the reality for most renters.