309 West 137th Street, Manhattan, NY 10030

The 2-story residential building at 309 West 137th Street in Harlem, owned by Joseph Jemal, has experienced several recurring maintenance issues over recent years, with the most significant concerns centering around heat, water, and safety systems. Most recently, in July 2023, a water leak complaint was filed but went uninvestigated due to lack of access.

In 2022, there was an emergency heat/hot water failure in the entire building, as well as issues with windows (pane and frame) that were also characterized as emergency situations. A concerning pattern emerged in 2021 with multiple safety-related complaints regarding smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, which went uninvestigated due to access issues. This was preceded by building-wide maintenance concerns in 2021 including water leaks and ceiling damage, and the discovery of violations in 2024 related to faulty self-closing doors in the common areas and Apartment 2.

The building has maintained a good record with respect to pest control, with no bedbug infestations reported in the past five filing periods from 2018 to 2023, and all recent rodent inspections (2018-2025) have resulted in passing grades. While many of the building's historical complaints from 2021-2022 were resolved, including corrections to concrete issues, safety notice requirements, and various door and window repairs, there appears to be an ongoing challenge with timely access for inspections when complaints are filed. The most recent housing maintenance code violations from September 2024 specifically cite issues with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, door systems, and the need for repairs to self-closing doors in common areas and Apartment 2, though these violations have been marked as closed as of September 2024.