5223 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220

The 4-story, 7-unit residential building at 5223 5th Avenue in Sunset Park, owned by John Calise and built in 1931, has experienced several significant maintenance issues over the past few years. Most recently, in July 2023, there was a reported water leak with heavy flow, though inspectors could not gain access to verify the problem. Between January and February 2019, the building underwent multiple emergency complaints regarding heat and hot water issues affecting the entire building, with some reports indicating restoration of services during inspections.

That same period saw several complaints about window frame conditions, with inspectors repeatedly unable to gain access to verify these issues. The building has also faced various violations and safety concerns, including three outstanding "A" class violations from 2019 related to building maintenance, such as a damaged wooden floor in apartment 4F, and other safety violations including improperly stored garbage containers in public areas. Earlier violations from 2019 required removal of flower pots blocking fire escape egress at both the 4th story and 2nd story balconies, though these were subsequently closed.

Importantly, there was a consistent pattern of bedbug reporting compliance from 2022-2025, showing no cases of infestation or re-infestation during these periods, with the most recent report from May 2025 confirming zero infested units. A single elevator-related complaint was filed in July 2020, though this appeared to be addressed with an invalid address disposition. The building has maintained regular bedbug reporting compliance, with no reported infestations over multiple years.