55 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216

The 64-unit residential building at 55 Brooklyn Avenue in Crown Heights, owned by Seth Miller and constructed in 1915, has experienced several recurring issues in recent years, with particular concerns about heating systems and maintenance conditions. Since late 2024 through 2025, there have been multiple heating and hot water complaints, both for individual apartments and the entire building, with at least one instance in February 2025 requiring emergency HPD intervention. The building has also encountered persistent maintenance challenges, as evidenced by multiple complaints regarding paint/plaster conditions in January and February 2025, including at least one instance where HPD could not gain access to inspect the reported conditions.

Notably, there are active housing maintenance code violations as of August 2024 affecting Apartment 8, including issues with roach infestation, safety equipment (smoke and carbon monoxide detectors), various maintenance repairs, and a reported problem with gas supply to kitchen fixtures. The building has documented concerns about its exterior condition, with an active ECB violation from October 2024 citing disrepair of the left-side facade wall and damaged stucco, carrying a penalty of $6,250. There were complaints about building shaking and stability in early 2025, though inspections found no violations at the time.

The property has shown evidence of rodent activity, with inspections between 2023-2025 consistently indicating the presence of rats, despite some passing results in compliance inspections. Environmental health monitoring shows no bedbug infestations reported in recent years. A partial vacate order was served in October 2024, indicating significant concerns requiring immediate attention.