734 Crown Street, Brooklyn, NY 11213

The 2-story, 4-unit residential building at 734 Crown Street in Crown Heights, owned by Steve Welcome, has faced recurring issues with heating and hot water systems over the past several years, with multiple emergency complaints in 2025 alone (March 19, March 24, and most recently in April 2025 regarding door/window issues) where inspectors were unable to gain access for verification. The building, constructed in 1924 as a New Law tenement, has persistent heating system problems, particularly evident in 2022-2025, though an inspection in January 2025 did not reveal housing law violations.

There are also three open violations from October 2024 related to the second-story public hall area, including issues with a leaking roof, broken fire retardant material, and inadequate lighting, all of which affect common areas. The property has a documented history of code enforcement activity regarding illegal conversion attempts, with multiple complaints in 2019-2021, including some cases where inspectors were denied access.

These led to two ECB violations in September 2020 regarding unauthorized modifications at the cellar level including bathroom installations, though both were ultimately resolved. Safety concerns were highlighted in December 2022 when multiple violations were issued for apartment 1R, including defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, inadequate heating, and hot water temperature exceedances, though some of these were later closed. The building has undergone several rodent control inspections, with periodic bait applications throughout 2022-2025, showing some evidence of rat activity in late 2022 but passing initial inspections in 2024 and 2025.