421 West 125th Street, Manhattan, NY 10027

The five-story, 28-unit tenement building at 421 West 125th Street in Harlem, built in 1920 and currently owned by Joseph Franco, has experienced several concerning issues in recent months. Most notably, there are ongoing concerns about lead dust in common areas as of March 2025, and recurring problems with window safety features, evidenced by two complaints about broken/missing window guards in early 2025. The building has also faced multiple heat and hot water-related complaints between late 2024 and early 2025, including violations issued in December 2024 related to heating system access and hot water supply in the building.

In 2024, Apartment 10 was found to have multiple maintenance issues, including mold in the bathroom, defective doors, and problems with plastered surfaces and flooring. The building has an active lead paint hazard violation (Class A) from July 2023 in Apartment 4. The property has shown some concerning patterns with pest management, with multiple rodent activity inspections showing continued rat presence throughout 2023-2025, despite some inspections passing.

Historical data indicates the building had several violations and complaints between 2019-2021, including issues with electrical work, building permits, and construction safety. Two Permits were issued for work on the building in 2019 and 2021, though there were multiple complaints about work being done without proper permits. Currently, there are also two active violations related to energy efficiency reporting requirements, dating from 2020-2021. While the building's bedbug reports from 2021-2025 show no infestations, the persistent maintenance issues and safety concerns warrant attention.