15 West 120th Street, Manhattan, NY 10027

15 West 120th Street is a historic three-story, six-unit single room occupancy building located in Harlem, built in 1888 and currently owned by Angela Clark. The building has experienced persistent maintenance issues over the past several years, with notable clusters of problems in early 2022 that included multiple violations and complaints related to plumbing, heat and hot water, door/window concerns, water leaks, and unsanitary conditions including mold. Specifically, Apartment 4 has documented violations from February 2022 concerning various issues, including problems with the flushing apparatus, roof leaks, radiator issues, door fitment, and missing safety devices (smoke and carbon monoxide detectors).

More recent inspections in 2023-2024 revealed violations regarding untimely filings of external low-pressure inspections, though these violations were ultimately dismissed. The building's heating system has been a recurring concern, with emergency complaints filed in both October 2021 and October 2022. While recent rodent inspections (2023-2025) have passed, there were documented rat activity findings in 2019 and 2022. The property currently has open violations related to bedbug reporting requirements and various apartment-specific issues from 2022, though the status of many historical violations has changed to "closed" through subsequent inspections.

The building's maintenance history shows a pattern of systemic issues, particularly regarding basic amenities like heat and plumbing, and safety systems like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. While some violations have been addressed and dismissed, the property has maintained a status of open violations as of 2025, particularly concerning bedbug reporting compliance. The recent passage of rodent inspections is a positive development, though the previous occurrences of rat activity indicate that this has been a recurring challenge. The building's age and classification as a New Law Single Room Occupancy property appears to correlate with its complex maintenance history, though many individual violations have been addressed through the normal inspection process.