Lead paint violations at 538 West 159th Street, Manhattan
HPD lists 13 open lead paint violations at this Washington Heights (South) building in Manhattan, under Local Law 1. Each order is set out in plain English, newest first.
- open lead paint violations
- 13
- of them class C, immediately hazardous
- All
- apartments named in open orders
- 2
- newest lead order issued
- Sep 29, 2026
- lead orders on record since 2018
- 18
An order is open while HPD still hasn't accepted a repair, or proof from the owner, for it. Once HPD accepts it, the order is closed. What to do next
Lead orders still open, newest first
All 13 open orders appear below.
| Apartment | What HPD ordered | Class | Where | Issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 624) | C, immediately hazardous | 1st riser from west at north wall in the 3rd room from north | Sep 29, 2026 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 617)Owner given more time | C, immediately hazardous | 1st riser from west at north wall in the 3rd room from north | Jan 15, 2026 |
| 3 | Vacant-apartment lead work not proven (order 621) | C, immediately hazardous | The whole apartment | Dec 3, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | South wall in the 1st room from north | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | Ceiling in the bathroom | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | West wall, 1st window frame from north at east wall in the private hallway | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | 1st riser from south at west wall in the kitchen | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | 1st door from west at north wall, 1st riser from west at north wall, east wall in the 3rd room from north | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | East wall, west wall in the 6th room from north | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 616) | C, immediately hazardous | 1st door frame from east at south wall, east wall in the foyer | Dec 2, 2025 |
| 3 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 617) | C, immediately hazardous | 1st riser from west at north wall in the 3rd room from north | Nov 28, 2025 |
| 1 | Vacant-apartment lead work not proven (order 622)Owner given more time | C, immediately hazardous | The whole apartment | Mar 7, 2024 |
| 1 | Peeling lead paint to fix (order 617)Owner given more time | C, immediately hazardous | 1st door frame from west at north wall, east wall in the kitchen | Mar 6, 2024 |
Unless a row says otherwise, each open order here still reads "notice sent to the owner". For HPD Online, the building ID numbers are BIN 1062752, BBL 1021170017. Open HPD Online
Your next steps
- Keep children away from peeling paint. Wash hands, toys, pacifiers, window sills and floors often, and keep children away from rooms where repair work makes dust. Don't sand, scrape or repaint old paint yourself, because that creates lead dust.
- Get your child tested. If you think your child was exposed, get a blood lead test from the doctor now. At age 1, and once more at age 2, New York also requires the test. How the test works
- Put your complaint in writing. Tell your landlord about the peeling paint, and whether a child under age 6 lives at 538 West 159th Street. Free letters in English and Spanish
- Report the problem to HPD. Call 311, or report it online, about peeling paint or repair work that makes dust. Filing is free, and your immigration status doesn't matter.
- Child tested high for lead? Follow the doctor's plan for retesting, then talk to a lead paint lawyer about the building's record: call (888) 503-5930.
These lead orders in plain English
Local Law 1 of 2004 is the city's lead paint law, and these orders were issued under it. Lead paint is presumed in buildings built before 1960, and owners get extra duties for apartments where a child under 6 lives.
- 11 open: peeling lead paint to fix. The paint here contains lead, or is presumed to, and it is peeling or sits on damaged surfaces. Repairing it is the owner's job, using lead-safe work methods.
- 2 open: vacant-apartment lead work not proven. While the apartment sat empty, the owner had to make its doors, windows and floors lead-safe, then prove that to HPD. The proof isn't there.
HPD uses class C for a condition that is immediately hazardous. A closed order is one where HPD accepted a repair, or proof from the owner. Of the lead orders here, 5 are closed.
Lead orders here, year by year
- 20183
- 20202
- 20242
- 20259
- 20262
Closed lead orders (5)
| Apartment | What HPD ordered | Class | Issued | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Peeling lead paint to fix | C | Dec 28, 2020 | Mar 10, 2021 |
| 5 | Peeling lead paint to fix | C | Dec 28, 2020 | Mar 7, 2021 |
| 5 | Peeling lead paint to fix | C | Jul 30, 2018 | Sep 19, 2018 |
| 5 | Peeling lead paint to fix | C | Jul 30, 2018 | Sep 19, 2018 |
| 10 | Peeling lead paint to fix | C | Aug 20, 2018 | Sep 17, 2018 |
A closed order is one where HPD has accepted a repair, or proof from the owner, for it. That doesn't mean the entire building is lead-safe.
Lead orders at other buildings in Washington Heights (South)
Records: HPD's housing violation data, published on NYC Open Data and refreshed monthly; it covers lead paint orders 610 to 626, and the newest lead order anywhere in it is dated October 21, 2026. This page only reads the public record. It is not a medical opinion or a legal finding about the owner.