197 Hester Street

197 Hester Street in SoHo, Manhattan, has 177 open HPD violations, 36 of them class C, and 38 of 40 units are rent-stabilized, as of Oct 25, 2026. StreetSpy grade: F (41/100).

Mixed residential & commercial · 40 units · Built 1910

StreetSpy grade: F (Severe, 41/100)

• 36 immediately hazardous violations open (the class that covers no heat, pests, lead paint and similar).
• 16 open violations are classified rent-impairing under NY Multiple Dwelling Law section 302-a.
• 13 heat or hot water complaints to 311 in the last 12 months.
• 38 of 40 units are rent-stabilized; 34 on the 2007 tax bill.

More open violations per unit than 9 in 10 Manhattan buildings this size.

• Repairs: High (177 open, 36 class C), records as of Oct 25, 2026
• Heat and hot water: 13 complaints, 12 mo, records as of Oct 25, 2026
• Pests: Clear (No bedbug filing, 3 yr), records as of Oct 27, 2026
• Safety: Clear (No open DOB violations), records as of Oct 23, 2026
• Registration: Expired Sep 1, 2025, records as of Oct 3, 2026

How the grade works

Housing code violations (HPD)

177 open violations: 36 class C (immediately hazardous), 86 class B, 55 class A. 39 issued in the last 12 months. 218 on record. Oldest open violation issued 2003-05-28. Newest violation issued 2026-08-31.

1 closed in the last 90 days. Median 127 days from issue to close for the 2 violations closed in the last 12 months.

16 open violations are classified rent-impairing under NY Multiple Dwelling Law section 302-a. Section 302-a; NY Courts guidance on getting repairs.

• Class C: Self-closing door not working (roof). , 27-2007, 27-2041.1 HMC, §238, § 309; § 107 (2) ( C) MDL AND 28 RCNY §25-171: REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SELF-CLOSING DOORS THAT IS MISSING OR DEFECTIVE HINGES AT BULKHEAD DOOR , ROOF, issued 2026-08-31. HPD violation 19161094
• Class C: Self-closing door not working. , 27-2007, 27-2041.1 HMC, §238, § 309; § 107 (2) ( C) MDL AND 28 RCNY §25-171: REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SELF-CLOSING DOORS THAT IS MISSING OR DEFECTIVE HINGES AT BULKHEAD DOOR , 6th STORY, issued 2026-08-27. HPD violation 19158134
• Class C: Mice, throughout the apartment, 6th floor. HMC ADM CODE: § 27-2017.4 ABATE THE INFESTATION CONSISTING OF MICE IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 186THF, 6th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 186THF), issued 2026-08-27. HPD violation 19158130
• Class C: Mice, throughout the apartment, 6th floor. HMC ADM CODE: § 27-2017.4 ABATE THE INFESTATION CONSISTING OF MICE IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 18, 6th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-08-25. HPD violation 19161088
• Class C: Mice, throughout the apartment, 6th floor. HMC ADM CODE: § 27-2017.4 ABATE THE INFESTATION CONSISTING OF MICE IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 18, 6th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-06-08. HPD violation 18978431
• Class C: Rats (hallway). 567 (C) § 27-2017, 27-2017.1, 27-2017.4, 27-2017.5, 27-2017.8, 27-2019, 27-2021 HMC: ABATE THE NUISANCE CONSISTING OF EVIDENCE OF RATS AND ALL UNDERLYING CAUSES CREATING THE PEST INFESTATIONS, BY USING INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM), ELIMINATE ALL BURROW ENTRY AND PASSAGEWAYS, PEST NESTS, HOLES, GAPS OR CRACKS IN WALLS, CEILINGS, FLOORS, FIXING LEAKS AND MANAGING GARBAGE IN PUBLIC AREAS. EVIDENCE FOUND AT ,,, AT PUBLIC HALL, 1st STORY, issued 2025-11-03. HPD violation 18340019
• Class C: Self-closing door not working, 5th floor. , 27-2007, 27-2041.1 HMC, §238, § 309; § 107 (2) ( C) MDL AND 28 RCNY §25-171: REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SELF-CLOSING DOORS THAT IS MISSING OR DEFECTIVE HINGES IN THE ENTRANCE LOCATED AT APT 39, 5th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM SOUTH AT WEST , SECTION AT NORTH (apt 39), issued 2025-07-21. HPD violation 18095971
• Class C: No heat / heating defect (basement). PROVIDE READY ACCESS TO BUILDINGS HEATING SYSTEM ...DOOR LOCKED AT BASEMENT, issued 2025-01-17. HPD violation 17628724

311 housing complaints

21 in the last 12 months, 74 in 5 years. Most common: Heat/Hot Water (13), Unsanitary Condition (3), Plumbing (2), Water Leak (2), Paint/Plaster (1).

Bedbugs

No bedbug filing on record for the last 3 years. HPD's bedbug filings are self-reported by the owner once a year; HPD does not inspect to confirm them.

• 2026: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2025: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2024: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2023: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2022: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2021: No bedbug filing on record for this year

Buildings department (DOB)

No open DOB violations. 3 DOB violations on record. Check on DOB BIS.

Evictions and housing court

0 executed evictions in the last 3 years (0 on record). 0 open HPD cases; 0 harassment findings.

Rent stabilization

38 of 40 units rent-stabilized as of 2024. Stabilized renewals: 0% for one year and 0% for two years under RGB Order #58 (Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027).

Rent-stabilized units on city tax bills: 38 in 2024, 34 in 2007. Source: DOF tax bills for 2007 and 2024; years with no bill on file are left out.

Owner and management

Owner: BEN SHU MANAGEMENT CORP. Head officer: BENILDA AYON. Managing agent: CHUN FONG. See the full portfolio.

Last HPD registration Jan 21, 2025. HPD registration expired Sep 1, 2025 and had not been renewed as of Oct 3, 2026. Buildings with 3+ units must register with HPD every year.

Tax lot and city IDs

BBL 1002360033, HPD building ID 22802. HPD Online, ACRIS, DOB BIS.

Nearest subway

• Canal St (J, Z), 2 min walk
• Canal St (6), 2 min walk
• Canal St (N, Q), 2 min walk

How the grade is calculated

Sources: NYC HPD Housing Maintenance Code Violations, NYC 311 Service Requests, NYC HPD Bedbug Reporting, NYC Marshal Evictions (DOI), NYC HPD Housing Litigations, NYC DOB Violations, NYC DOF tax bills (via JustFix Who Owns What portfolio API, v2), NYC HPD Property Registration. Methodology. Report generated 2026-10-28.