I am not understanding some of the posters here- there is no shame in making Brooklyn Judenrein (if it really did come to that). Did you ever think that Jews did not belong there in the first place? Helloooo-its galus, not the promised land. Do you really think G-d needs more Jews in Flatbush vs. Wichita vs, Cracow vs. Alexandria? For some reason a bunch of Jews chose that as their home (proximity to Manhattan?) and it became the place to be. Yes we invested a ton of money in infrastructure. But we also invested a ton of money in shuls and mikvaos in Poland. Is anyone suggesting we go back there to take advantage of it? I can think of a much greater connection Vilna or Lublin but I don’t see Orthodox Jews moving there in droves. Do you ever think how much R. Meir Shapiro invested in Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin and how many years we got out of it?
Economics is a reality and so is progress. From a pure dollars and sense standpoint is it better for 1,000 Jews to spend $1,000,000 on a small uncomfortable home in an ugly neighborhood with crazy traffic with infrastructure in place (which also needs money in upkeep) or move to a newer cheaper neighborhood and rebuild the infrastructure all over again?
Regarding the Bubbies and Zaidies who are still left there, let them get over the nostalgia, sell your your home for a fine profit and move near your kids (assuming they want you there) . Sell it to whoever is crazy enough to NEED that area and find greener pastures. Hopefully you will find them in E”Y but at the very least you can use the money to retire comfortably.
Regarding the rest of the Jews who are still there and may kvetch about smaller class sizes and higher tuition-try moving out and break the vicious cycle. Which is a bigger challenge, dealing with a few less kids in the class or needing to pay all of your staff higher salaries to keep up with the insane cost of living? How many Rabbeim can live a comfortable normal life in Brooklyn with one one job? Two jobs? If none then we have built an unsustainable system and it is time to dismantle it.
Last one out turn off the lights.