165 West 4th Street, Manhattan, NY 10014

The 6-story, 31-unit tenement building at 165 West 4th Street, owned by John Ilibassi and constructed in 1905, has experienced several concerning issues in recent years. Most notably, there have been two recent heat and hot water emergencies in the past six months (November-December 2024), with one complaint resulting in an inspection by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) that required correction of the identified issues.

The building has also faced multiple violations related to unauthorized work, with two complaints in December 2024 being referred to the Department of Consumer Affairs. Between 2021-2023, significant violations were documented regarding fire escape safety concerns, including blocked pathways and missing handrails, along with several active environmental control board violations totaling over $20,000 in penalties related to building maintenance and illegal occupancy issues. The property has undergone regular bedbug reporting, with all filings since 2018 showing zero infested units, suggesting effective pest management.

However, rodent inspections have produced mixed results from 2019 through 2025, with recent inspections in 2024 showing failures for other reasons, while a March 2025 inspection passed. The building's management has demonstrated some responsiveness to heat and water issues, as evidenced by the December 2024 resolution, though access issues were noted in a previous heat complaint. Despite these challenges, the property has maintained compliance with annual bedbug reporting requirements and has had multiple successful rodent inspections, though recent failures suggest ongoing monitoring is necessary.