655 St Marks Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216

The three-story, four-unit residential building at 655 St Marks Avenue in Crown Heights, owned by Donna Johns and constructed in 1900, has experienced several significant maintenance and habitability issues over recent years. Most notably, there has been a persistent pattern of bedbug reporting violations between 2021 and 2024, with the Department of Housing Maintenance Code issuing open violations for failure to file annual bedbug reports in accordance with HPD rules.

The building's heating and hot water systems were also problematic, with emergency complaints recorded in January 2022 indicating a temporary loss of these essential services throughout the building, though these issues were reportedly resolved shortly thereafter. The building's recent history is marked by ongoing concerns about pest control, particularly evidenced by rodent activity reports. Inspections in early 2025 (February and March) recorded rat activity, following similar findings in August 2023 and February 2023.

However, the building passed several rodent inspections conducted throughout 2024 and 2022, including compliance checks. Additionally, there was a vacant building complaint filed in May 2024 regarding the property being open and unguarded, though this was closed in January 2025 with no violations noted at the time of inspection. While the property has maintained basic compliance with various inspections, the recurring nature of bedbug reporting violations and rodent activity suggests ongoing challenges with building maintenance and pest control that may impact resident comfort and habitability.