645 East 222nd Street, Bronx, NY 10467

The two-family home at 645 East 222nd Street in Wakefield, owned by Jose Martinez, is a 2-story, 4-unit New Law Tenement building constructed in 1926. The property has experienced persistent heating and hot water issues, particularly over the past three years, with multiple complaints from 2021 to 2023 regarding these systems. Most recently, in late 2023, there were multiple heat/hot water complaints from tenants that HPD could not inspect due to access issues.

The building has also faced significant maintenance challenges, with a cluster of nine violations documented in March-April 2024, including emergency plumbing issues (radiator, toilet, sink), mold, and pest problems. There are ongoing concerns about an allegedly illegal basement apartment conversion with a kitchen and bathroom, as evidenced by multiple illegal conversion complaints in 2024 and an active Environmental Control Board violation related to occupancy issues and safety concerns about secondary egress. The property has a documented history of infrastructure problems, with violations recorded in 2018 for scalding hot water exceeding 130 degrees and various plaster/paint deficiencies.

Rodent inspections over the years (most recently in 2022 and 2023) have consistently failed for unspecified reasons, indicating persistent pest control challenges. While the building has been active in filing bedbug reports, showing 0 infestations in 2024 represents a positive trend in unit readiness and reporting compliance. The property has also encountered some regulatory challenges, having received a notice in 2024 regarding the need to file annual bedbug reports with HPD. The building's heating system has been a recurring issue, with violations noted in 2019 related to inadequate heating and locked boiler room access.