More Than 20 Wash Heights Buildings 'Put Tenants At Risk': City

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — More than 20 buildings with dozens of open violations in Washington Heights have been barred from getting new work permits under a new city law designed to protect against tenant abuse.

A new map from the city's Department of Buildings shows every building whose permits have been restricted by Local Law 104, which the City Council passed in 2019.

The law was intended to penalize landlords who deliberately allow their buildings to deteriorate in an effort to drive out tenants.

While some New York City neighborhoods have only a few buildings that made the list, more than 20 were flagged in Washington Heights.

The map flags any building with 35 or more dwelling units and two or more violations for every unit, or those with fewer than 35 units and three or more violations for every unit.

A building at 656 West 162nd Street had 286 combined Department of Housing and Department of Building violations — by far the most in Washington Heights.

"The pandemic predominantly impacted underserved, communities of color leaving thousands unemployed. We have to make it abundantly clear that our priority is to ensure that tenants are not being unfairly evicted from their homes because of the loss of income," Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez told Patch. "Landlords must resolve their opened violations before receiving permits for any new projects."

Here are all the Washington Heights buildings listed on the map:

1. 538 West 159th Street: 43 total violations
2. 560 West 160th Street — 72 total violations
3. 576 West 161st Street — 144 total violations
4. 650 West 161st Street — 130 total violations
5. 425 West 162nd Street — 58 total violations
6. 638 West 160th Street — 115 total violations
7. 655 West 160th Street — 96 total violations
8. 531 West 162nd Street — 87 total violations
9. 656 West 162nd Street — 281 total violations
10. 548 West 164th Street — 123 total violations
11. 546 West 165th Street — 104 total violations
12. 470 West 166th Street — 99 total violations
13. 2153 Amsterdam Avenue — 106 total violations
14. 1251 St Nicholas Avenue — 91 total violations
15. 580 West 176th Street — 164 total violations
16. 82 Wadsworth Avenue — 68 total violations
17. 1356 St Nicholas Avenue — 81 total violations
18. 607 West 180th Street — 68 total violations
19. 620 West 182nd Street — 61 total violations
20. 605 West 182nd Street — 79 total violations
21. 350 Audubon Avenue — 47 total violations
22. 552 West 185th Street — 86 total violations
23. 633 West 185th Street — 12 total violations

You can click around the new map from the DOB here.