New York City is expensive. To avoid paying top dollar on rent, you're going to take a hit, whether that be access to a quality subway line, a massive amount of stairs to traverse, or the safety of a neighborhood.
Eibhlin's spot represents the minimum number of compromises - it's a low-income, and thus fairly depressing, neighborhood (@ me), and the apartment is up a few stories of stairs, ~and~ the rooms are tiny, but the space itself is totally livable, the subway is quite convenient, and the neighborhood doesn't feel particularly dangerous, even at night, which I wouldn't say of anything north of 145th in Manhattan. Check out Kiwi's for a bougie grocery store in range, and drip for excellent coffee.
Which is all to say, it's a fair deal in the context of NYC's stupid-high rent.