343 Howard Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233

343 Howard Avenue is a 4-story, 23-unit New Law tenement building located in Crown Heights, built in 1910 and currently owned by Yon Lef. The building has experienced several notable maintenance issues over the past three years, with the most recent concerns emerging in 2025 involving broken or missing window guards and window frame problems, though HPD inspections were unable to gain building access to verify these conditions.

In late 2023, the building faced multiple significant issues, including heating and hot water problems affecting both individual apartments and the entire building, along with water leaks (slow and heavy flow) that were documented in November 2023. A comprehensive inspection in August 2024 revealed B-class violations regarding fire escape obstructions (flower pots) and garbage accumulation, while specific violations from 2023-2024 included inadequate heating and hot water supply issues, particularly affecting Apartment 3B, and various maintenance concerns in Apartment 1D such as floor repair needs, door issues, waste line problems, and carbon monoxide detector concerns.

The building's boiler system also encountered problems in April 2023, with violations related to defective combustion air systems and gas installation issues that were subsequently resolved. Fortunately, records show no bedbug infestations in recent years (2020-2023), and while there were rodent activity reports in 2009-2014, the most recent inspection from 2014 indicated bait application but no ongoing issues were noted in subsequent years. The building has a history of multiple 311 complaints and HPD violations, primarily focusing on heat/hot water issues, water leaks, and various maintenance problems, suggesting ongoing challenges with building systems and maintenance response.