197 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215

197 Prospect Avenue is a three-story, six-unit Old Law tenement building located in South Slope, built in 1931 and currently owned by Charles Quimby. The building has experienced several maintenance issues over recent years, with the most significant problems arising in 2024, including water leaks with heavy flow and pest infestations, though inspections found no violations for the pest issue (March 2024) but did issue violations for the water leak.

The property has a documented history of heat and hot water problems, with complaints in both 2020 and 2021, and has dealt with recurring rodent issues, particularly notable in 2020-2022 with multiple rat sightings and inspections showing varying degrees of rat activity, though the most recent rodent inspection in October 2022 passed. Significant events in 2022-2023 included multiple Department of Buildings violations related to unauthorized work and safety concerns during renovation activities, particularly in May 2022 when the building was cited for failing to maintain code compliance during extensive renovation work, resulting in active violations with penalties totaling $12,500.

More recent inspections in May 2024 revealed multiple open violations in apartment 3L, including issues with plastered surfaces, leaks in the bathroom and kitchen, and maintenance of the public hall stairs. The building has shown consistent compliance with bedbug reporting requirements from 2020 through 2025, with no reported infestations. While the building has passed recent rodent inspections, the historical pattern of maintenance issues suggests ongoing attention to building systems may be necessary.