159 West 71st Street, Manhattan, NY 10023

The three-story, 8-unit building at 159 West 71st Street in the Upper West Side, owned by Michael Halpern, has experienced several notable maintenance issues over the past few years. Most concerning were repeated heating system failures in late 2019, when multiple complaints were filed regarding lack of heat and hot water throughout the entire building between November and December, though investigations confirmed restoration of service. More recently, in August 2022, there was a plumbing water supply complaint that was investigated but did not result in any violations.

The building has also faced periodic issues with doors, windows, and electrical lighting systems, particularly in July 2018, though HPD was unable to gain access for inspection in those instances. Recent inspections and compliance checks show some improvement in conditions. The building passed rodent inspections in 2023 and 2024, after previous detections of rat activity in 2019 and 2022. Notably, there have been additional inspections in 2023 related to tenant safety and elevator devices, with no violations recorded.

The property has maintained compliance with bedbug reporting requirements, with the most recent filing in July 2023 showing no infestations between November 2021 and October 2022. An open violation as of April 2024 pertains to the annual bedbug report filing requirement, though previous years' filings from 2021-2023 were properly closed. The building's maintenance history reveals ongoing challenges with basic services, particularly heating systems, though recent years show fewer complaints about these systems. The property has undergone regular inspections for both tenant safety and pest control, with varying results but recent records showing improvements in compliance.