131 West 142nd Street, Manhattan, NY 10030

The 6-story building at 131 West 142nd Street in Harlem, owned by Lenore Browne and constructed in 1920, is currently facing significant maintenance challenges, particularly regarding heat and water supply. The property has experienced recurring heat and hot water issues throughout late 2024 and into 2025, with multiple emergency complaints filed by tenants, including two separate incidents in January 2025 alone that were unable to be properly inspected due to lack of access. The building has also encountered various maintenance issues, including paint and plaster problems, door/window concerns, and signage issues, with several complaints remaining open as of mid-2025.

The building's maintenance history reveals concerning safety issues, particularly in apartment 3B, which was found to have missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in December 2024, though the violations were certified as corrected in January 2025. Apartment 6A had multiple violations relating to lead-based paint hazards and a broken bathroom tile documented in July 2024, which were subsequently addressed. The property has shown persistent pest control challenges, with multiple rodent activity reports in 2024-2025 inspections, including "Failed for Other Reasons" results in January and February 2025, and past evidence of cockroach infestation in apartment 3B.

However, more recently, the building has maintained a bedbug-free status since 2021, with no reported infestations in the latest five inspection periods from 2019 to 2024. The building's inspection and complaint history demonstrates ongoing difficulties with building systems and maintenance compliance, with particular emphasis on heating and water supply issues that directly affect resident comfort and safety. The property has shown some responsiveness to addressing violations when brought to attention, as evidenced by multiple complaints being resolved through inspections or corrections, though access issues during inspections have sometimes hindered proper assessment of reported problems.