299 East 158th Street, Bronx, NY 10451

The five-story, 14-unit residential building at 299 East 158th Street in Melrose, owned by Michalakis Christodoulou, has experienced persistent maintenance issues throughout 2024-2025. The property has ongoing problems with unsanitary conditions, particularly concerning garbage/recycling storage and pest infestations, with open complaints related to these issues as recent as May 2025. The building has also documented multiple incidents of rat activity throughout 2024-2025, with inspections consistently showing evidence of rodent presence.

Notable violations have been recorded in specific units, particularly in apartment 4C, including issues with pest infestations (mice and roaches), missing safety equipment (smoke and carbon monoxide detectors), and various maintenance concerns such as broken door components and defective plastered surfaces. The building experienced a heat and hot water emergency affecting the entire structure in January 2025. The property has several open violations related to housing maintenance codes, including water supply issues, unsanitary conditions, and garbage storage concerns.

There are also active Department of Buildings violations regarding the failure to maintain proper records and conduct required annual boiler inspections, with penalties imposed. While the building has been free of bedbug infestations in recent reporting periods (2019-2024), the persistent rodent activity and various maintenance issues suggest ongoing challenges with building maintenance and resident comfort. The owner has received multiple violation notices for failing to file required external low-pressure inspection reports between 2023 and 2024, indicating a pattern of non-compliance with maintenance requirements.