71 East 97th Street, Manhattan, NY 10029

71 East 97th Street in East Harlem is a 6-story, 23-unit New Law tenement built in 1920, currently owned by Thomas Ahn. The building has experienced recurring heat and hot water issues over the past several years, with four documented emergencies between 2018 and 2021 affecting either the entire building or individual apartments. Two significant security violations were recorded in 2018 regarding unauthorized locking mechanisms at the building's street entrance and roof access points, though these were eventually resolved.

More recently, the building has faced structural concerns, with an active façade-related violation from December 2024 indicating failure to provide required safety measures, and an additional building shaking complaint from January 2025 that was inspected but found to have no violations. The property has maintained a consistent record of bedbug management, with no infestations reported in the past three annual filings (2021-2024), though one infestation was recorded in 2019. Rodent activity has been documented in several inspections between 2019 and 2025, with the most recent inspection in June 2025 passing compliance.

The building's heat and hot water issues are particularly notable, with complaints filed in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, though in three of these cases, tenants reported the problems had been resolved by the time inspectors arrived. Security and access violations from 2018 regarding unauthorized locking mechanisms at building access points suggest past concerns about building security, though these issues were addressed. The property has maintained regular rodent inspections, with varying results, including noted rat activity in 2019 and 2025, though most recent inspections have passed. The building's façade and structural integrity have become more prominent concerns in recent years, with multiple active violations as of 2024-2025 regarding safety measures and notification requirements.