"Code ghetto" is actually a term I've heard bandied about before, usually used to denigrate an ecosystem someone doesn't like, but in this case I think it's wholly appropriate terminology[0], and I don't think the offense taken at it is justified.

[0] This comes up top of Google for me: https://www.laurencegellert.com/2012/12/software-ghettos-a-f...

I feel that "code ghetto" conveys the myopic POV of the article perfectly.