Curiously in other languages (e.g. French, Spanish) the equivalent term seems to be frowned upon and better avoided.

Nowadays, POC is more widely used in French than naming a community directly by its skin color. "It is a black neighborhood" -> "It is a POC neighborhood"

Are you sure? It cannot be very widespread. I've been living about 10 years in Paris and never heard "quartier de personnes de couleur" (POC neighborhood). Not a single time! Yet "quartier chinois" or "quartier arabe" are very common. But maybe my social circle is not very representative...