4001 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

The four-story, six-unit tenement building at 4001 5th Avenue in Sunset Park, owned by Tian Wu Lu and constructed in 1925, has experienced several significant maintenance and safety issues over recent years. Most notably, there is an open violation from October 2024 regarding flower pots obstructing fire escape egress on the second-story balcony, along with a safety-related sprinkler inspection in October 2024 that HPD was unable to complete.

The building faced multiple access denial issues in February 2022, when complaints about water leaks, pest problems, wall conditions, and window frames were filed, though these were subsequently closed. A cluster of concerning violations emerged in January 2020 from apartment 3F, including lead paint hazards, mice infestation, door issues, and fire safety concerns, though some of these were later addressed through permit issuance. The property has maintained a clean record regarding bed bugs, with no reported infestations or eradications in the past four reporting periods from 2021 to 2024, and demonstrated improvements in rodent control, passing inspections in 2017 and 2014 after a rat activity finding in January 2020.

Recent history shows some unauthorized modifications, with an active ECB violation from April 2024 regarding unpermitted exterior enclosure installation and kitchen equipment, though this was addressed with a $1,250 penalty. The building's maintenance record includes various food safety inspections and the resolution of multiple 311 complaints, though some complaints, particularly regarding sprinkler systems and other safety features, remain unresolved or require follow-up inspections. While the building has faced periodic maintenance challenges, including multiple violations related to egress obstruction and various housing maintenance code violations, there is evidence of ongoing compliance efforts, as seen in the regular bed bug reporting and prompt responses to some violations through proper permit channels.