216 East 5th Street, Manhattan, NY 10003

216 East 5th Street is a 5-story, 12-unit Old Law Tenement building located in the East Village, owned by Max Dresse and constructed in 1866. The property has experienced significant maintenance challenges in recent years, with the most pressing current issue being an open pest infestation complaint filed in January 2025, with a subsequent complaint in June 2025 that HPD was unable to fully investigate. The building has documented ongoing rodent activity, with recent rat activity discovered in July 2025 and multiple previous inspections showing similar results.

There have been several recent housing code violations, including problems with flooring/stairsteps, which resulted in violations being issued in February 2025, though these were not identified as immediately hazardous. The building's maintenance history shows a pattern of infrastructure issues requiring attention, particularly during 2023-2024. Notable incidents included water damage affecting multiple apartments (3, 5, and 7) and electrical panel boxes in August 2023, as well as multiple building safety concerns such as an unlocked roof access door and missing parapet walls/guardrails documented in August 2023. Several violations were issued regarding self-closing doors, electrical work without proper permits, and the presence of garbage and debris in common areas.

The building has also experienced heating system issues, with a hot water complaint in January 2025. Despite the presence of these ongoing issues, many past violations have been resolved, including those related to bathroom fixtures in Apartment 9 and various maintenance items throughout common areas. The property has undergone multiple rat inspections throughout 2023-2025, with some passing reports amid recurring rat activity findings. Bedbug filings from 2024 indicate 12 infested units, though subsequent filings showed no new infestations.