A run-down area is an area of a city or town that has become neglected and impoverished. It is often characterized by dilapidated housing, poverty, crime, and a lack of basic services. Two words commonly used to describe such areas are 'GHETTO' and 'SLUM'. GHETTO refers to a poor, overcrowded, and often segregated area of a city, while SLUM is a term used to describe a very run-down and neglected area of a city.