421 West 21st Street, Manhattan, NY 10011

The 36-unit, 6-story residential building at 421 West 21st Street in Chelsea, owned by Jonathan Ohebshalom, has been facing ongoing maintenance challenges, particularly in recent months. As of May 2025, there are open complaints regarding unsanitary garbage/recycling storage conditions and ceiling paint/plaster issues, with HPD having difficulty gaining access for inspections. The building has experienced recurrent heating and hot water system problems, with multiple complaints filed between February 2025 and December 2024, though many of these were closed without resolution due to lack of access for inspections.

There are also three open Housing Maintenance Code violations from December 2024 regarding defective latchsets at the first-story vestibule door and basement laundry room door, categorized as "B" and "C" level violations. The building's recent history shows persistent infrastructure and safety concerns, including multiple emergency heat/hot water complaints, an open sanitary condition complaint as of May 2025, and two recent violations related to obstructed fire escape access due to furniture and plant growth. While no bedbug infestations have been reported in the past five years, and the building has consistently passed rodent inspections between 2017 and 2024, there have been several concerning incidents involving blocked egress points, as documented in Department of Buildings complaints from 2023-2024.

The elevator system has also been a recurring concern, with complaints filed in 2020 and 2024, though inspections did not result in violations. The building has shown some improvement in compliance with energy benchmarking requirements, with violations from 2020 being dismissed upon confirmation of submission. Recent permit activity indicates ongoing maintenance work, with several plumbing permits issued between 2019 and 2023, including one for emergency work in April 2023.