what does it mean to be living in a housing estate in England?
The quote below is from a news article and I was wondering if living in a housing estate means that you're poor??

"Leon, who comes from a middle-class background and went to public school, may seem a strange choice for a tough criminal from a dodgy housing estate -- but the couple embrace their differences."

Question

what does it mean to be living in a housing estate in England?
The quote below is from a news article and I was wondering if living in a housing estate means that you're poor??

"Leon, who comes from a middle-class background and went to public school, may seem a strange choice for a tough criminal from a dodgy housing estate -- but the couple embrace their differences."

Answer

I am from the US but I'm certain that housing estates are what we call housing projects. Those are blocks of buildings that are built for lower and lower middle class families. The rents are lower and subsidized by the city or the state. The apartments are awarded based on your income and other economic factors. Depending on the criteria used, this means that they can turn into nice projects, like Stuy Town and Roosevelt Island in NYC, or into those plagued with drugs and other criminal activites. Being described as "dodgy" gives us a clue that this is one of those typical projects.

Answer

I think in that context (especially with the word "dodgy" in there), living in a housing estate implies you're poor.

Checking Wikipedia, it seems the attitude varies between countries.

Answers · 2

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