1656 St Johns Place, Brooklyn, NY 11233

The 5-story, 18-unit tenement building at 1656 St. John's Place in Crown Heights, owned by Miriam Yavo, has experienced recurring maintenance challenges over recent years, particularly regarding heat, water, and pest issues. Between December 2023 and early 2025, the building had multiple complaints about inadequate heat and hot water, with at least three emergency complaints in December 2024 alone, resulting in a confirmed violation regarding inadequate heat and hot water in Apartment 4A.

Additionally, there were significant water-related issues in Apartment 4C, documented in violations from early 2024, including mold and water leak problems requiring repair. The building has also faced ongoing pest control challenges, with rodent activity reported as recently as July 2025, following unsuccessful inspections in 2025 and 2024. Historical data shows a pattern of moisture and pest-related issues, including multiple 311 complaints about unsanitary conditions, mold, and pests in 2024-2025. The property's maintenance record shows some attempts at addressing these issues.

Violations related to plaster repair, paint maintenance, and an electric outlet issue in Apartment 1B were documented and closed between 2024-2025. The building's management has consistently filed bedbug reports showing zero infestations between 2021-2025, and while there were some irregularities noted in rodent inspection results between 2019-2025, recent inspections indicate persistent rodent activity. A Department of Buildings violation remains active as of October 2023 regarding the failure to file the 2022 external low-pressure inspection. Despite these ongoing challenges, it's worth noting that many of the complaints result from inspection access issues, with inspectors often unable to enter apartments during their visits, leading to complaint closure without verification of conditions.