709 West 169th Street, Manhattan, NY 10032

The 43-unit, 6-story tenement at 709 West 169th Street in Washington Heights, built in 1912 and currently owned by Kenrick Ou, has experienced several recurring maintenance issues over recent years. Most notably, there is an ongoing water leak issue from March 2024 that was not fully resolved until May 2024, and multiple incidents of mold and unsanitary conditions were reported in January 2023. The building has also faced pest problems, with complaints filed in 2022 and 2021 that inspectors were unable to access.

A significant health and safety concern remains open as of October 2023 regarding construction lead dust in common areas and apartments, reported in November 2022. The building's safety equipment has had past deficiencies, with violations in 2018 for missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in Apartment 1B, though these were subsequently corrected. The property has maintained regular rodent inspections, passing consistently from early 2021 through 2025, though there were reports of rat activity in August 2020 and March 2021.

In 2018, violations were recorded for failing to provide adequate gas supply and complete safety inspections, and there is currently an open violation regarding proper placement of inspection certificates in the first-story public hall. The building's recent history shows improved bedbug management, with no reported infestations in the past three years after previous incidents in 2019 and 2020. While many maintenance issues have been addressed, the persistence of water-related problems, mold, and the outstanding lead dust violation suggests ongoing challenges with building maintenance and resident comfort.