Sure, but it's where it is and the juxtaposition of it's apparent isolation despite being within NYC that makes it interesting. It's isolation from infrastructure, too, despite being real streets and (some) real houses. Surprising, at least to me.

Oh definitely, I'm not saying it's uninteresting that it's managed to get into and be left in such a state, I just thought it was a funny euphemism for it.

Yeah, the septic tanks surprised me. I grew up in a rural community in the Midwest and we had septic tanks, but I can't imagine people living in a city, let alone NYC, not having access to basic infrastructure like sewers.

what a strange definition of the word "community" (or even "home") you must have to think this term does not apply perfectly to an area where people are living?

sorry dang here's that indignant thing you told me about...but seriously

I took it as them saying the whole phrase “forgotten community” is painting over the neglect the area has experienced. Not that it isn’t a community but that it isn’t a “forgotten community”. You don’t end up with derelict buildings and a transient population, stray dogs and a mob graveyard over decades by being forgotten. The city government clearly knows about it. They make promises every decade or so. The FBI discovered the mob was using it etc. it wasn’t forgotten it has just been deprioritized or neglected. In fact I’m surprised the article didn’t go in harder on the city’s ineptitude. Forgotten community is a euphemism in that sense.

Some of the residents aren’t squatters but just homeowners in an undesirable area. It makes me wonder if some of the “squatters” in the area weren’t at one point homeowners whose property was damaged beyond repair.

The article is all about how the community has been "forgotten" by the authorities with the power to improve it. Nothing strange about that.