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Sorry I’ve been AWOL. Here’s my advice. Unfortunately, I know more about Manhattan. But I think Manhattan and Brooklyn are where most people who aren’t raising families live. (OK, very rich people raise families in Manhattan.)

There are hip places (nabes) for young people, I didn’t live there. They will be noisier all the time but they will have many more fun things for young people to do without having to travel far. A lot of young people seem to think the only thing to do for entertainment is to get blasted, at least that’s what my daughter said. But there are enough who like to sit in sidewalk cafes and eat, snack, drink coffee, etc. and enjoy the ambiance. And, at least for a while, that’s still good. De Blasio is trying to wreck it, but his term is about up.

He will probably have to pay a realtor to find an apartment and he will probably have to pay a hefty security deposit. This is serious money and is often used to discourage people from moving. Realtors can want as much as 10% of a year’s rent. The security deposit will possibly be 2 months’ rent. And rent is high in Manhattan.

A realtor will try to show him 3 places. The first 2 will be dives and the 3rd will be above his budget. If he’s firm he can get shown some good buildings. Research will help him here. He should wade through Apartments.com and do research on the nabes and buildings in the nabes and let the realtor know he knows his stuff.

Don’t be fooled by nabes in Harlem that are being gentrified. That college student who was stabbed by kids a while back was in one of those nabes.

Everything around NYU is expensive because NYU has some of the highest tuitions in the country. But it’s a super hip place for young people.

Almost all buildings are mixed use. There are businesses on the first floor and residences above. Don’t rent above a restaurant or a food shop if possible. It’s not just the noise, it’s the rodents. They’ll be worse above food establishments.

Try not to be on the top floor and try not to be lower than the 3rd floor. More break-ins happen on those floors.

He will adjust his expectations. That’s just normal. You will likely look at the apartment he picks and ask why he decided to live in such a tiny, awful place. But it will be good by young people standards in NYC. All he’ll do there is eat and sleep. My daughter even sat out on the fire escape to read because her apartment was so tiny, and she had a separate bedroom (with closet doors that couldn’t close because of her bed taking up that space). Once he gets used to this, he will really enjoy living in NYC while he’s young. My daughter couldn’t imagine leaving until after she turned 30.

One more thing - nobody begging for money is in dire straits. They all know where they can get a meal, a coat, food for their baby, food for their dog or cat, etc. If he decides he wants to help the homeless I’ll recommend some places to start so he can learn the difference between someone in need and a scam artist. I’m assuming you raised him to have a big heart.

If there are any more questions, ask away.