537 West 144th Street, Manhattan, NY 10031

537 West 144th Street in Hamilton Heights is a 5-story, 6-unit old law tenement building built in 1910, currently owned by Karen Delacruz. The building has experienced recurring rodent issues, with the most recent rat sightings reported in July 2023 and multiple 311 service requests between 2022-2023. While the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted inspections in 2022 and found no violations, the frequency of complaints suggests an ongoing pest control challenge.

The building's maintenance history shows periodic bedbug reports filed from 2019 through 2024, though the most recent filings indicate zero infested units. Of particular concern are the multiple active violations issued in 2023 for failure to file external low-pressure inspections from 2019 through 2021, suggesting potential safety equipment oversight. The building had several housing maintenance code violations noted in 2018 related to peeling paint in public hallways on the second and third stories, though these were certified as corrected by December 2018.

The building's most current rodent control efforts have been documented through regular bait applications in 2025, with multiple treatments conducted between January and June 2025. Inspections in 2023-2024 passed, indicating some improvement in pest control measures. The property has maintained an active bedbug reporting schedule, with the most recent filings showing no current infestations and no units requiring eradication. While the building has experienced various maintenance challenges over the years, including paint issues and pest management concerns, recent inspection results and bait application records suggest ongoing efforts to address these problems, though the active violations for low-pressure inspection filings remain notable.