550 40th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232

The 19-unit, 4-story New Law tenement at 550 40th Street in Sunset Park, owned by Hugo Pena and constructed in 1922, has experienced several significant maintenance issues recently. In 2024, there were multiple concerning incidents requiring HPD intervention, including two heavy water leak emergencies in April, plaster and paint issues, and problems with windows and flooring.

The building also underwent several emergency plumbing inspections related to radiator problems between late 2023 and 2024, and there are active violations from April 2024 regarding defective plaster and paint in apartment 1C, as well as concerns about self-closing doors. Of particular note is the building's current situation regarding possible illegal conversions, with multiple inspection attempts in June 2025 being denied access to the property. The building's maintenance record shows a pattern of infrastructure issues, including repeated radiator and plumbing problems, water leaks, and plaster issues.

While the property has maintained bedbug-free status since the last reporting period ended in October 2024, with no reported infestations in 2023-2024, there were prior inspections in 2022 showing both rat activity and compliance. Previous violations have included problems with fire escape access due to protruding air conditioning units, and there have been recent concerns about encumbrances in public hall areas. The building's management has generally responded to HPD interventions, with many cases being resolved through repairs or inspections, though some violations remain open as of the most recent reports.