Safe neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale

I'll be moving from Houston to Fort Lauderdale for a new job. I'm going to tour apartments next week and have done some research on which neighborhoods are safe. So far, I believe Victoria Park seems to be the safest and I found a condo right by Holiday Park, which I also heard was nice. I'm looking at staying under $1800 a month for rent, which leaves condos and other private rentals as the only option as most apartment rental agencies charge at least $2600 a month and there have been many negative reviews and concerns about those. I think Tarpon River, Rio Vista, River Oaks, Poinsettia Heights, and Lake Ridge are also some other safe neighborhoods, though I've seen it's recommended to live east of the US-1. Maybe because it's safer? I'm looking to live not too far from work as I won't have a car. I'm ok with up to ~20 minutes transit commute. Does anyone else who lives in the area have any recommendations?

Also, I noticed none of the apartments I've seen are gated. Why is that? Would that mean break-ins are more likely to happen?

As far as Fort Lauderdale in general, is it hard to make new friends? Are there areas where there are lots of young professionals? Are there community activities/groups?