556 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215

The four-story, two-family house at 556 4th Avenue in Gowanus, owned by Brian Elgart, has experienced several significant maintenance issues since 2021. Most notably, there was a recent mold complaint in August 2024, though no violations were found upon inspection. The building has a documented pattern of maintenance challenges in 2021, when multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations were issued, particularly affecting the third-story apartment.

These included problems with plastered surfaces and paint (both ceiling and wall), flooring issues, and bathtub/shower plumbing problems, all of which were classified as "B" violations requiring repair. Additionally, there was an emergency complaint regarding a door issue, though no violations were found for this particular problem. In terms of the building's structural and legal status, there was an inspection in May 2021 that led to a complaint about an illegal conversion, with the inspector unable to gain access for verification.

This resulted in a violation notice requiring the owner to file plans and legalize the building's use as a multiple dwelling, though this violation was certified as closed in July 2021. The property has maintained a clean record in terms of bedbug infestations, with no reported cases since 2019, and the most recent bedbug reports from 2022, 2023, and 2024 show zero infested or re-infested units. A garbage/recycling storage complaint was filed in 2022, which was also resolved without violations being issued. While there have been multiple service requests and inspections over the years, most recent complaints have not resulted in violations, suggesting some improvement in handling maintenance issues, though the 2024 mold complaint indicates ongoing concerns with building maintenance.