245 East Houston Street, Manhattan, NY 10002

245 East Houston Street is a 5-story, 18-unit residential building located in New York City's Lower East Side neighborhood, owned by Elliot Markowitz and dating back to 1900. The building has experienced recurring issues with heating and hot water systems, particularly during winter months, with multiple complaints filed between December 2024 and May 2025 indicating these problems affected the entire building. In May 2025, there was a complaint about unsanitary conditions and pests, though an HPD inspector was unable to gain access for inspection. The building's management has active violations from 2023 regarding the failure to file required external low-pressure inspections for 2018-2021.

While the building shows no evidence of bedbug infestations in recent years (2020-2024), there were internal maintenance issues documented in 2021, particularly in Apartment 3, including water leaks, plumbing problems, and plaster/paint defects, though these violations were closed by August 2021. The property has maintained a consistent record of passing rodent inspections, with the most recent one conducted in March 2025 showing compliance. Historical complaints to the Department of Buildings in 2020-2022 related to certificates of occupancy and work conditions, though inspections did not warrant violations at those times. The building's management has generally responded to Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) inspections, though access issues have occasionally limited the ability to confirm reported problems.

Regular bedbug reporting from 2019 through 2024 indicates no infestations during these periods, and multiple rodent inspections have consistently passed, suggesting effective pest management in these areas. The building's recent history indicates ongoing challenges with heating and hot water systems, particularly during winter months, as well as occasional issues with building access for inspections. While there have been various maintenance violations in the past, especially in 2021, these have generally been addressed once identified, with most historical violations now closed. The property has maintained active compliance with rodent control measures, though the recent pattern of heating system complaints suggests potential ongoing challenges with building infrastructure systems.