531 West 211th Street, Manhattan, NY 10034

The 42-unit, 5-story tenement building at 531 West 211th Street in Inwood, owned by Moshe Singer and built in 1926, has experienced significant maintenance challenges over the past two years. Most notably, there have been persistent heating and hot water issues, with multiple complaints filed in 2025 indicating building-wide systems failures, though some complaints were closed without proper access for inspection. The building has also faced recurring plumbing problems, as evidenced by multiple recent complaints including bathtub, shower, and toilet issues between 2024 and 2025, with emergency status on some of these complaints.

Additional maintenance concerns include electrical issues (lighting), door and window problems, and instances of unsanitary conditions with reported pest activity. The building's violation history shows several concerning patterns, including three active violations as of 2023-2024 related to failure to display energy efficiency scores, maintenance issues including fire damage in specific apartments, and historical building code violations such as defective doors and fire escape issues. Rodent inspections have consistently shown rat activity, with the most recent inspections in 2025 confirming ongoing pest problems.

The property has maintained a record of bedbug infestations over multiple years, though these were reported as eradicated when tested. Recent housing inspections in 2024-2025 have documented various non-emergency and emergency maintenance issues, including problems with doors, walls, ceilings, and kitchen fixtures, suggesting a pattern of deferred maintenance and difficulty in gaining access for inspections. The building's recent history shows a concentration of complaints and violations related to basic utility services (heat, hot water, plumbing), building safety systems (fire escapes, doors), and pest control, indicating ongoing challenges with maintaining basic living conditions. While many violations have been marked as closed following inspection, including some that were resolved through formal orders, the frequency and nature of the complaints suggest persistent maintenance issues that affect resident comfort and habitability.