138 Montague Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

As of July 2025, 138 Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights, a 4-story, 22-unit converted Class A building owned by Juan Rivera and constructed in 1960, has experienced recurring heating system issues over the past two years. The most recent cluster of complaints in early January 2025 included multiple reports of heat and hot water problems affecting the entire building, with similar complaints dating back to November 2024. The building has also faced several housing maintenance challenges, including an open violation from November 2024 noting defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, water leak issues, and problems with plastered surfaces in Apartment 8.

The building's maintenance history reveals ongoing compliance concerns, particularly regarding heat and hot water systems, with multiple emergency complaints being filed and generally closed without successful inspection access. There are also active violations related to the failure to file annual low-pressure inspections between 2018-2021, identified through Department of Buildings records in 2023. Pest management records show a pattern of rodent activity, with inspections in 2023 and 2024 indicating rat activity, though the most recent inspection in March 2025 reported a passing result.

The building has been subject to repeated requirements for bedbug reporting compliance from 2022 through 2024, suggesting ongoing attention needed to address this issue. In addition to these concerns, there was a complaint about unauthorized work in a multiple dwelling filed in October 2020, though access could not be gained for inspection. An immediate emergency complaint from November 2024 regarding ceiling paint and plaster issues resulted in violations being issued, while other complaints such as a buzzer system issue and various heat-related problems indicate persistent building maintenance challenges.