Lower East Side
Historic immigrant neighborhood now a mix of old tenements and new development.
Lower East Side 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 4.5 per 1,000 apartments, below the citywide 8.8.
Heat and hot water complaints in Lower East Side ran 48.8 per 1,000 apartments over that year, below the citywide 125.7.
The median Lower East Side apartment building went up in 1910, 32.2% of apartments sit in buildings from before 1940 (citywide 45.8%), and 15.8% are in buildings of five floors or fewer (citywide 37.1%).
Most common HPD issues in Lower East Side
HPD issued 7.7 violations per 100 apartments in Lower East Side over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 2.4 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 47% of buildings recorded none.
Area figures describe 615 buildings holding 25,592 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 Lower East Side
Buildings in Lower East Side averaged 7.7 HPD violations per 100 apartments over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 2.4 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 47% of buildings recorded none at all.
| Measure | Lower East Side | Citywide |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 615 | 172,071 |
| Apartments | 25,592 | 2,846,490 |
| HPD violations per 100 apartments | 7.7 | 30.1 |
| Class C (immediately hazardous) per 100 | 2.4 | 9.2 |
| Buildings with no violations | 47% | 45.3% |
| Apartments in pre-1940 buildings | 32.2% | 45.8% |
| Apartments in buildings of 5 floors or fewer | 15.8% | 37.1% |
| Median year built | 1910 | n/a |
Figures cover buildings with three or more apartments in Lower East Side, 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 Lower East Side
Each service page is tailored to Lower East Side’s building stock and common violation patterns.
Violation-Linked Repairs
For when Lower East Side buildings already have open violations
Pre-Lease & Investigation
Audit a Lower East Side building before you commit
Move-In Essentials
For after you’ve checked the building
Building Stock & Character
Pre-war tenements, new luxury high-rises, public housing
Gritty history, nightlife, diverse, rapidly changing
F (2nd Ave stops), J/M/Z (Essex), B/D (Grand St)
Nightlife noise, changing character, varying building quality