533 West 158th Street, Manhattan, NY 10032

The six-story, 24-unit New Law Tenement building at 533 West 158th Street in Washington Heights, owned by David Hakakian and built in 1909, has experienced several recurring maintenance issues over the past 18 months. Most notably, the building has faced multiple heat and hot water supply complaints, with the most recent report on November 16, 2024, indicating a building-wide issue that HPD could not inspect due to access problems.

There are also significant ongoing concerns about building systems and unit conditions, including an open complaint regarding the bell/buzzer/intercom system from November 13, 2024, and multiple plumbing issues (toilet and bathtub/shower) reported in November 2024. The building has had persistent maintenance challenges in 2024, including a heavy water leak in August, an unsanitary condition involving pests in February, and various plumbing and paint/plaster issues. In terms of housing maintenance violations, Apartment 32 has multiple open violations recorded from August 2023, including problems with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, intercom connectivity, and various maintenance issues such as bathroom paint, plaster repair, and pest infestation.

The building's recent history shows regular rodent inspection compliance, with all inspections from 2014 through October 2024 passing successfully. Bedbug reports for the past three reporting periods (2019-2020 through 2024) show zero infested or re-infested units, indicating effective pest management in this regard. While the building has had several emergency and non-emergency complaints in 2024, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has often been unable to gain access for inspections, particularly regarding heat and water issues, and has closed several complaints without violations being found upon inspection.