229 East 96th Street, Manhattan, NY 10128

The 22-unit, 5-story building at 229 East 96th Street in East Harlem, owned by Oren Golstein, is a 1920 Old Law Tenement structure that has encountered several concerning health and safety issues over the past few years. Most notably, there has been an ongoing pattern of rodent-related problems, with multiple rat sightings reported through 311 complaints between 2018 and 2019.

While recent rodent inspections in 2023 and 2024 have generally passed, there was one failed inspection in May 2024 for "Other Reasons" and an earlier incident in 2019 where rat activity was confirmed. The building did receive a Housing Maintenance Code violation in February 2022 regarding bedbug reporting requirements, though subsequent annual filings from 2022 through 2025 show no evidence of bedbug infestations, with records indicating zero infested, eradicated, or re-infested units during these periods. The building's rodent situation appears to have improved currently, as evidenced by recently passing inspections in 2023 and 2024, and the absence of new rodent complaints since 2019.

However, the pattern of rodent-related incidents between 2018 and 2019, and the 2022 Housing Maintenance Code violation, suggest historical challenges with pest management that required ongoing attention. The most recent bedbug reporting compliance from March 2025 indicates the building has maintained a pest-free status under this regulation for the past three years. While the building has passed its most recent inspections for both rodent control and bedbug reporting, the historical data reflects a need for continued monitoring of pest management practices in this five-story tenement.