29 Rutgers Street, Manhattan, NY 10002

The 6-story, 20-unit New Law tenement at 29 Rutgers Street in the Lower East Side, built in 1920 and currently owned by Danny Guo, has experienced a series of maintenance and safety issues over the past several years. Most recently, in May 2025, the building was found to have rodent activity according to inspection results, with follow-up violations noted by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The building has multiple open complaints from December 2024 regarding wall and floor conditions, and while there were several paint/plaster-related complaints in late 2024 that were initially opened as emergencies, they were closed in May 2025.

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, there have been recurring issues with safety equipment, including smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which were not able to be inspected due to access issues. The property has a documented history of building maintenance and safety code violations, including multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations related to self-closing doors and fire escape obstruction in 2023-2024. Over the period from 2018 to 2020, there were also complaints about illegal conversions and certificate of occupancy issues, though these were closed due to inability to gain access for inspection.

The building's environmental history shows consistent reporting of zero bedbug infestations since 2018. Rodent inspections from 2023 through 2025 show sporadic rat activity, with several failed inspections for various reasons, though some were passed, indicating ongoing pest management challenges. Three kitchen-related ECB violations from 2018 regarding unpermitted installations in the first floor deli were resolved with penalties. The building's maintenance record suggests ongoing challenges with building access for inspections, as multiple complaints across different years have been closed due to lack of access for verification purposes.