138 Audubon Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10032

138 Audubon Avenue is a 5-story, 24-unit residential building constructed in 1909 in Washington Heights, currently owned by Maurice Soha. The building has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years, particularly with heat and hot water systems. In October 2023, there was a cluster of complaints regarding inadequate heat and hot water affecting the entire building, with at least eight separate reports filed within a short timeframe, though HPD could not consistently gain access to verify the conditions.

Following these incidents, the building received three separate heat/hot water violations in November 2023. More recently, in late 2024, there were complaints about door frames and window issues, with inspectors again reportedly unable to gain access for proper evaluation. The building has also faced safety concerns, including a broken window guard in June 2024 and multiple smoking violations in August and September 2024.

The most concerning issues currently relate to Apartment 24, which received multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations in late 2024 for missing window guards, and for not having proper carbon monoxide and smoke detecting devices. The building has a history of rat activity, with inspections in October and December 2024 noting the presence of rodents, marking a continuing pest control challenge despite earlier baiting efforts in 2021-2022. Earlier structural maintenance issues were documented in 2022-2024, including concerns about the first floor store's condition, though these violations were later dismissed after repairs were completed. Notably, the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations, with zero reported cases across multiple annual filings from 2021 to 2025.