711 East 226th Street, Bronx, NY 10466

The three-unit building at 711 East 226th Street in Wakefield, owned by Romeo Burke and constructed in 1901, has experienced persistent heating and hot water issues over the past 18 months. Between January 2025 and April 2025 alone, there were five recorded complaints regarding heat and hot water problems, with several requiring multiple follow-up inspections by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). These complaints were classified as emergencies and affected both individual apartments and the entire building.

Most notably, HPD inspections in March 2025 resulted in violations, while earlier inspections in 2022 and 2023 had similar access issues that prevented verification of conditions during inspections. The building currently has active violations related to safety and maintenance. As of April 2024, there is an open violation regarding the annual bedbug report that reportedly remains unresolved since 2022, along with multiple violations from October 2022 affecting Apartment 2, including issues with carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, heating, and hot water systems. A significant environmental control board violation was issued in June 2024 concerning inadequate ventilation for the gas meter, resulting in a $3,125 penalty.

Historical complaints also include a rodent inspection in late 2022 that initially failed for "Other Reasons," though a subsequent December 2022 inspection passed. Additionally, there have been two complaints regarding illegal commercial use in the residential zone, one in 2022 and another in 2024, though neither warranted violations upon inspection. The building's documented history demonstrates ongoing challenges with basic services and safety compliance, particularly concerning the heating and hot water systems, safety equipment (including smoke and carbon monoxide detectors), and building maintenance requirements. While some past violations have been addressed, there are still multiple open violations requiring attention.