537 West 156th Street

537 West 156th Street in Washington Heights, Manhattan, has 24 open HPD violations, 5 of them class C, and 3 of 20 units are rent-stabilized, as of Oct 26, 2026. StreetSpy grade: F (46/100).

City program owner (HDFC) · Multi-family walk-up · 20 units · Built 1916

Held by a Housing Development Fund Corporation, a nonprofit owner under a city housing program. Its tenants live with the conditions on this record, so it is graded and ranked like any rental. How HDFCs are ranked

StreetSpy grade: F (Severe, 46/100)

• 5 immediately hazardous violations open (the class that covers no heat, pests, lead paint and similar).
• 1 open violation is classified rent-impairing under NY Multiple Dwelling Law section 302-a.
• 11 housing complaints to 311 in the last 12 months.
• 3 of 20 units are rent-stabilized; 21 on the 2007 tax bill.

More open violations per unit than 7 in 10 Manhattan buildings this size.

• Repairs: High (24 open, 5 class C), records as of Oct 26, 2026
• Heat and hot water: 1 complaint, 12 mo, records as of Oct 25, 2026
• Pests: Clear (Owner reported none, 3 yr), records as of Oct 28, 2026
• Safety: Clear (No open DOB violations), records as of Oct 26, 2026
• Registration: Renewal not yet in city data, records as of Oct 3, 2026

How the grade works

Housing code violations (HPD)

24 open violations: 5 class C (immediately hazardous), 14 class B, 5 class A. 8 issued in the last 12 months. 79 on record. Oldest open violation issued 2015-09-08. Newest violation issued 2026-04-29.

1 closed in the last 90 days. Median 98 days from issue to close for the 4 violations closed in the last 12 months.

1 open violation is classified rent-impairing under NY Multiple Dwelling Law section 302-a. Section 302-a; NY Courts guidance on getting repairs.

• Class C: Roaches, throughout the apartment, 5th floor. HMC ADM CODE: § 27-2017.4 ABATE THE INFESTATION CONSISTING OF ROACHES IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 18, 5th STORY, 2nd APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-02-09. HPD violation 18615654
• Class C: No heat / heating defect, 1st room from the north, 5th floor. HMC: PROPERLY REPAIR OR REPLACE THE BROKEN OR DEFECTIVE AT RADIATOR SHUT-OFF VALVE IN THE 1st ROOM FROM NORTH LOCATED AT APT 18, 5th STORY, 2nd APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-02-09. HPD violation 18615650
• Class C: Roaches, throughout the apartment, 2nd floor. HMC ADM CODE: § 27-2017.4 ABATE THE INFESTATION CONSISTING OF ROACHES IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 8, 2nd STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM EAST AT SOUTH (apt 8), issued 2023-08-08. HPD violation 16152005
• Class C: Self-closing door not working, 4th floor. , 27-2007, 27-2041.1 HMC: REPLACE OR REPAIR THE SELF-CLOSING DOORS THAT IS MISSING OR DEFECTIVE .. IN THE ENTRANCE LOCATED AT APT 16, 4th STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM EAST AT SOUTH (apt 16), issued 2019-08-20. HPD violation 13234720
• Class C: Floor or stair defect, floor, throughout the apartment, 2nd floor. , 2012 HMC & § 309 MDL: ABATE THE NUISANCE CONSISTING OF EXCESSIVE STORAGE OF MATERIAL HOUSE HOLD ITEMS, BOXES, CLOTHS, NEWS PAPERS, BLACK BAGS AND TRASH ON FLOOR IN THE ENTIRE APARTMENT LOCATED AT APT 8, 2nd STORY, 1st APARTMENT FROM EAST AT SOUTH (apt 8), issued 2015-09-08. HPD violation 10849422
• Class B: Damaged plaster or paint, north wall, bathroom, 5th floor. HMC: PROPERLY REPAIR OR REPLACE THE BROKEN OR DEFECTIVE LIGHT FIXTURE AT THE NORTH WALL IN THE BATHROOM LOCATED AT APT 18, 5th STORY, 2nd APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-02-09. HPD violation 18615653
• Class B: Damaged plaster or paint, west wall, foyer, 5th floor. HMC: PROPERLY REPAIR OR REPLACE THE BROKEN OR DEFECTIVE NTERCOM SYSTEM FROM BUILDING FRONT TO PANEL AT WEST WALL IN THE FOYER LOCATED AT APT 18, 5th STORY, 2nd APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-02-09. HPD violation 18615651
• Class B: Electrical defect, outlet on the north wall, bathroom, 5th floor. HMC: PROPERLY REPAIR OR REPLACE THE BROKEN OR DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL OUTLET AT THE NORTH WALL IN THE BATHROOM LOCATED AT APT 18, 5th STORY, 2nd APARTMENT FROM WEST AT NORTH (apt 18), issued 2026-02-09. HPD violation 18615652

311 housing complaints

11 in the last 12 months, 17 in 5 years. Most common: Unsanitary Condition (5), Plumbing (3), Paint/Plaster (2), Heat/Hot Water (1).

Bedbugs

The owner reported 0 infested units in the last 3 years of filings. 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: Owner reported 0 infested units
• 2023: Owner reported 0 infested units
• 2022: Owner reported 0 infested units
• 2021: Owner reported 0 infested units

Buildings department (DOB)

No open DOB violations. 2 DOB violations on record. Check on DOB BIS.

Evictions and housing court

0 executed evictions in the last 3 years (1 on record). 0 open HPD cases; 0 harassment findings.

Rent stabilization

3 of 20 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: 3 in 2024, 21 in 2007. Source: DOF tax bills for 2007 and 2024; years with no bill on file are left out.

Owner and management

Owner: PALACE UNITED HDFC. Head officer: ESTELLE BAJOU. Managing agent: Finger Management Realty LLC. See the full portfolio.

Last HPD registration Dec 29, 2025. Registration on file through Sep 1, 2026; renewal not yet in the city's data.

Tax lot and city IDs

BBL 1021150054, HPD building ID 42715. HPD Online, ACRIS, DOB BIS.

Nearest subway

• 157 St (1), 2 min walk
• 155 St (C), 4 min walk
• 163 St-Amsterdam Av (C), 6 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.