109 Ralph Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221

The four-story, three-unit building at 109 Ralph Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, owned by Michael Besse, was constructed in 1905 and has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent years. Most notably, there have been two separate building-wide heat and hot water complaints in January 2025, though HPD could not gain access to verify these conditions.

The building has also been cited for violating external low pressure inspection requirements in 2023 and 2024, and there are two active violations from 2022 concerning unpermitted drop ceiling work and fire-retardant material issues in the cellar. A cluster of complaints in February 2022 resulted in multiple inspections, though no violations were ultimately issued; these complaints involved various safety and maintenance concerns including sprinkler systems, window panes, door/intercom systems, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, flooring/stairs, and wall conditions.

The building's inspection history shows it has passed rodent inspections in 2022, 2024, and 2025, which suggests no current pest issues, and it has consistently reported zero bedbug infestations in annual filings from 2021 through 2024. Other historical issues include three complaints to the Department of Buildings between 2021-2022 regarding building shaking, unauthorized work, and electrical wiring concerns, though no violations were warranted upon inspection. While the building has faced various maintenance challenges, particularly with heat and general upkeep, the absence of recent bedbug and rodent issues, along with multiple complaints being resolved or closed without violations, indicates some level of ongoing management attention to building conditions.