It has unfortunately got worse with more random racist attacks particularly on American Asians. The amount of homeless and people with mental health problems has increased and is not really being addressed.
It is pretty rank especially on hot days with very little breeze, it's worse just outside the big transport hubs like Grand Central. And yes, it may well put off some people from visiting
Everywhere you went in New York it reeked of weed, so they realised they were were wasting their time and legalized it. It has become a lot more lawless and aggressive post pandemic particularly on the subways with more random attacks and a general feeling of unease, so I would say exercise some...