Chinatown
One of the largest Chinese communities in the Western Hemisphere, with dense residential use, street markets, and some of NYC's oldest tenement stock.
Chinatown Building Violation Profile
Measured from HPD violations and 311 complaints filed in the 12 months to September 2026, matched to this area's buildings. Use it to set expectations before you sign or hire.
Rodent complaints ran 3.9 per 1,000 apartments, below the citywide 8.8.
Heat and hot water complaints in Chinatown ran 38.7 per 1,000 apartments over that year, below the citywide 125.7.
The median Chinatown apartment building went up in 1910, 53% of apartments sit in buildings from before 1940 (citywide 45.8%), and 25% are in buildings of five floors or fewer (citywide 37.1%).
Most common HPD issues in Chinatown
HPD issued 10 violations per 100 apartments in Chinatown over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 3 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 48.6% of buildings recorded none.
Area figures describe 632 buildings holding 17,643 apartments, so check the specific address before you sign: one building's record can sit far from its neighborhood's average.
What the Records Show in Chinatown
Buildings in Chinatown averaged 10 HPD violations per 100 apartments over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 3 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 48.6% of buildings recorded none at all.
| Measure | Chinatown | Citywide |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 632 | 172,071 |
| Apartments | 17,643 | 2,846,490 |
| HPD violations per 100 apartments | 10 | 30.1 |
| Class C (immediately hazardous) per 100 | 3 | 9.2 |
| Buildings with no violations | 48.6% | 45.3% |
| Apartments in pre-1940 buildings | 53% | 45.8% |
| Apartments in buildings of 5 floors or fewer | 25% | 37.1% |
| Median year built | 1910 | n/a |
Figures cover buildings with three or more apartments in Chinatown-Two Bridges, using HPD violations inspected in the 12 months to September 2026 and city lot records. Citywide figures use the same method. Search a specific address for that building’s own record.
Services in Chinatown
Each service page is tailored to Chinatown’s building stock and common violation patterns.
Violation-Linked Repairs
For when Chinatown buildings already have open violations
Pre-Lease & Investigation
Audit a Chinatown building before you commit
Move-In Essentials
For after you’ve checked the building
Building Stock & Character
Pre-war tenements, walk-ups, some newer residential developments
Bustling, authentic food scene, dense community, affordable relative to nearby SoHo
J/Z (Canal St), N/Q/R/W/6 (Canal St), B/D (Grand St)
Very crowded, limited quiet, high density, tourist pressure