Artists ditch NYC for cheaper homes

Forget the Lower East Side — there are very few artist enclaves left in Manhattan (or any other borough, for that matter), according to Crain’s. Artists and musicians alike say they’ve had enough of the cycle of gentrification, in which they and their ilk move to “dodgy” neighborhoods and ultimately get forced out after their area attracts a trendy, artistic reputation. And the down economy isn’t helping either. Nearly half of New York City artists polled last year said they expected their annual income to decline between 26 percent and 50 percent over the next six months. It’s an outlook that many say leads artists and musicians to seek cheaper, more suburban nabes outside the five boroughs, including nearby towns in New Jersey. [Crain’s]