51 East Houston Street, Manhattan, NY 10012

51 East Houston Street is a 5-story, 8-unit old law tenement building located in Nolita, built in 1900 and currently owned by Hector Dutan. The property has experienced recurring maintenance issues throughout 2025, with multiple plumbing complaints regarding bathtubs/showers and toilets, and window frame problems.

Notable violations in April 2024 were issued for Apartment 7's various maintenance issues including plumbing, flooring, and electrical concerns, though some were subsequently closed while others remain open, particularly regarding a missing electrical outlet and different plaster and painting requirements. The building has also faced significant safety concerns, including an August 2023 egress violation and a building shaking complaint, with a partial stop work order issued in February 2025 for work without a permit. The property has a documented history of electrical and safety violations, most notably in 2018-2019 when multiple electrical violations were issued including unsafe equipment and grounding issues, though these were resolved through penalties totaling over $5,000.

Recent inspections show that while the building passed rodent inspections in 2022, 2023, and 2024, it experienced pest issues requiring violations to be issued in April 2025. The building's maintenance record shows a pattern of difficulty in obtaining access for inspections, as evidenced by multiple closed complaints in 2025 where inspectors were unable to gain access. However, recent rodent inspections (most recently in August 2024) have been successful, and no bedbug infestations have been reported in the past five years.