//The local CO-OP, ladies and gentlemen's western outfitters, ironmongers or DIY shop, the Church, the community hall, to be able to walk safely in the park. //
Gromit earlier mentioned other European cities that are no longer the same.
I agree, many years ago I visited Paris and stayed in a lovely hotel in the Paris district of Saint Denis, it was lovely and also safe to walk it's streets, but look at it now?
/// Crime is rife, with high rates of robbery, drugs offences and murder. //
Apparently a lot of white flight is the fear that one's property value is most likely to drop should the area become a ghetto.White people flee before their value falls.
Some interesting stats here for the number crunchers.