Comment by littlekey

Hopefully it's not taken in poor taste to compare the situation to a video game, but I can't help but think of Cyberpunk 2077's Dogtown. This zone that's become a den of all sorts of sad behavior, ruled by martial law.

That being said, I get the impression the author has a flair for the dramatic. On a whim I clicked on a random restaurant there on Google Maps (Red Rooster Overtown) and it was described as an "Artful restaurant offering Southern comfort food with a twist, plus craft cocktails, and happy hours." Doesn't exactly sound like a hellhole to me, though I guess it has been 15 years and a lot can change.