550 Ft Washington Avenue, Manhattan, NY 10033

The 5-story, 29-unit New Law Tenement building at 550 Ft Washington Avenue in Washington Heights, managed by 550 Fort Washington Ave HDFC, has experienced several notable issues in recent years. Most significantly, in early 2024, the building faced rodent-related health concerns, with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene documenting violations and scheduling follow-up inspections after a rat sighting complaint in March.

The building has a history of maintenance challenges, including a heat and hot water outage affecting the entire building in November 2019, though these services were reportedly restored shortly after tenant complaints. Serious violations include multiple open lead paint hazard citations from August 2019 specifically affecting Apartment 2E, covering various areas including walls, door frames, and ceilings, and a carbon monoxide detector issue in Apartment 4D. More recent developments include three complaints in July 2023 regarding work done without proper permits, leading to a partial stop work order and an Environmental Control Board violation for unauthorized electrical work in the kitchen.

Despite these issues, the building has maintained a relatively stable bedbug situation, with official reports from 2021-2024 showing no infestations or successful eradications, though there was one recorded case in 2021. The property has been subject to regular rodent inspections, with varying results; most recently showing passed inspections in late 2024, though there were recorded instances of rat activity earlier that year. The building's maintenance record shows periodic permit activity, with multiple electrical and plumbing permits issued between 2020 and 2024, indicating ongoing maintenance and upgrade work.