261 East 188th Street, Bronx, NY 10458

261 East 188th Street is a 20-unit, 5-story New Law Tenement building constructed in 1915, currently owned by Edgar Casablanca. The building has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years, with the most pressing concerns emerging in mid-2025. These include pest infestations (recently documented in May 2025), electrical issues, and door problems, all of which received violations from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).

In July 2024, Apartment 34 was noted to have multiple serious violations including pest infestations (roaches and mice), defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, a malfunctioning intercom system, and various maintenance issues affecting the bathroom and kitchen. The building has maintained relatively good rodent control, with inspections generally passing since 2020, though there was one instance of rat activity recorded in November 2024. The property has had various other maintenance matters, including a slow water leak (April 2025), heat/hot water issues (April 2025), and several flooring and stair complaints earlier in 2025, all of which were either closed or found not to violate housing laws.

The building's history shows regular bedbug inspections from 2020 to 2025, all showing zero infestation reports. There were also past violations related to a retaining wall observed in 2021, though this was resolved, and an open violation regarding external low-pressure inspection filing from June 2023. Recent inspections indicate ongoing maintenance challenges that require attention, particularly in terms of pest control and basic infrastructure repairs.