257 East 188th Street, Bronx, NY 10458

The 5-story, 21-unit New Law Tenement building at 257 East 188th Street in Fordham, owned by Edgar Casablanca, has experienced several maintenance challenges, particularly in the past two years. Most notably, there has been a recurring pattern of pest-related complaints throughout 2024, with multiple unsanitary condition reports regarding pests in June and July 2024, though inspections by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) often found no violations or could not gain access. A 2023 pest violation was recorded for Apartment 33.

Water-related issues have been a persistent concern, with a water leak complaint in October 2023 showing heavy flow, and a plumbing complaint regarding water supply in October 2024, though HPD did not find any housing law violations in these cases. The building currently has two open violations from February 2024 regarding a refrigerator nuisance and defective self-closing doors in the vestibule, while three recently resolved violations from October 2024 relate to access to the heating system, bicycle encumbrances, and hot water issues in Apartment 54. The property has undergone annual rodent inspections, most recently passing in May 2025 and November 2024, though there were some failures noted in earlier inspections during 2022.

The building has maintained a consistent record of no bedbug infestations over the past five reporting periods from 2020 to 2025, with zero infested, eradicated, or re-infested units reported. An ongoing lead dust complaint from August 2023 is currently in progress with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. While many housing maintenance code violations have been resolved through certification, the building's history suggests recurring issues with both water systems and pest control, though recent inspections indicate some improvement in overall building conditions.