Central Harlem, Manhattan: building violations, landlords and rent stabilization

Central Harlem, Manhattan, has 2,955 graded residential buildings with 3 or more units, as of Oct 28, 2026. By grade: 739 A, 310 B, 517 C, 570 D and 819 F. The median building has 7.5 open HPD violations per 10 units, against 2 across Manhattan. 24,692 of its 61,891 residential units (40%) are rent-stabilized on the latest Department of Finance tax bills on file. The most common housing complaints to 311 in the last 12 months were heat and hot water (16,905), unsanitary condition (5,434), and plumbing (3,441).

Central Harlem by the numbers

3,663 residential buildings (61,891 units) on record. 84,657 open HPD violations (20,432 class C, immediately hazardous). 32,952 housing complaints to 311 in the last 12 months, 1,319 executed evictions in 3 years, 866 reported bedbug infestations in 3 years. 1,121 buildings have rent-stabilized units on their tax bills.

Worst five in Central Harlem

Most open HPD violations per 10 units. Graded rental buildings with 6 or more units; co-ops, condos and NYCHA are left out. Only buildings with an HPD violation issued in the last 24 months or a 311 housing complaint in the last 12 are listed.

  1. 63 Morningside Avenue: 525 open violations per 10 units (525 open, 10 units), grade F, owner: 63 MORNINGSIDE AVENUE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND COR (City program owner (HDFC))
  2. 102 West 137th Street: 503.3 open violations per 10 units (302 open, 6 units), grade F, owner: BUFNY II ASSOCIATES
  3. 197 Lenox Avenue: 361 open violations per 10 units (361 open, 10 units), grade F, owner: VICTOR HORSFORD REALTY CORP
  4. 240 West 116th Street: 325.8 open violations per 10 units (391 open, 12 units), grade F, owner: 240-242 WEST 116 STREET HDFC, INC. (City program owner (HDFC))
  5. 110 West 137th Street: 275 open violations per 10 units (275 open, 10 units), grade F, owner: BUFNY II ASSOCIATES, L.P.

Best five in Central Harlem

Rental buildings graded A or B with 6 or more units and a current HPD registration, ordered by the housing-code violations HPD issued per 10 units in the last 3 years, then 311 housing complaints per 10 units in the last 12 months, then class C (immediately hazardous) violations issued in 3 years, then the median days HPD took to close a violation in the last 12 months. Size is never a tie-breaker. Co-ops, condos and public housing (NYCHA) are left out. At least 5 years of record. Best buildings citywide.

  1. 144 West 119th Street: 0.0 HPD violations issued per 10 units in 3 years, 0.0 311 housing complaints per 10 units in 12 months (6 units, built 1896), grade A
  2. 4 West 121st Street: 0.0 HPD violations issued per 10 units in 3 years, 0.0 311 housing complaints per 10 units in 12 months (7 units, built 1890), grade A, owner: 4 WEST 121 STREET LLC
  3. 8 West 122nd Street: 0.0 HPD violations issued per 10 units in 3 years, 0.0 311 housing complaints per 10 units in 12 months (8 units, built 1889), grade B, owner: WEST 122 LLC
  4. 10 West 122nd Street: 0.0 HPD violations issued per 10 units in 3 years, 0.0 311 housing complaints per 10 units in 12 months (8 units, built 1889), grade A, owner: 10 WEST 122ND STREET MA LLC
  5. 244 Lenox Avenue: 0.0 HPD violations issued per 10 units in 3 years, 0.0 311 housing complaints per 10 units in 12 months (10 units, built 1884), grade A, owner: MLG 904 DEVELOPMENT LLC (City program owner (HDFC))

Largest landlords in Central Harlem

By units in Central Harlem, among portfolios of 3 or more buildings and 50 or more units citywide. Names are as filed on HPD registrations. How totals are counted. Report an error.

  1. SHELLY V HAIR (head officer on HPD registrations): 1,872 units in 5 buildings
  2. SETH SCHOCHET (head officer on HPD registrations): 1,716 units in 6 buildings
  3. HERMINIO TORRES (head officer on HPD registrations): 1,699 units in 24 buildings
  4. KARIM HUTSON (head officer on HPD registrations): 1,305 units in 84 buildings
  5. MALCOLM A PUNTER (head officer on HPD registrations): 787 units in 38 buildings

Nearby neighborhoods

Sources: NYC HPD housing maintenance code violations, HPD property registrations and housing litigation, 311 service requests, DOB violations, NYC Marshals evictions, and HPD bedbug filings from NYC Open Data, plus rent-stabilized unit counts from NYC Department of Finance tax bills. How grades work.