40 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206

40 Lewis Avenue is a 3-story, 4-unit apartment building located in Bedford-Stuyvesant, constructed in 1961 and currently owned by Abraham Brach. The property has experienced recurring maintenance issues in recent years, with the most significant concerns centering around building safety and infrastructure. Notably, there were three major complaints filed in September 2024 regarding fire escape safety, door issues, and garbage/recycling storage problems, with violations issued for the fire escape condition.

The building has a documented history of heat and hot water supply problems, particularly evident in December 2023 and January 2024, when multiple complaints were filed regarding building-wide service failures. Prior to these incidents, the building experienced safety concerns related to fire escapes in 2020 and pest issues in 2021, though the latter was resolved without violations. Recent inspections have revealed ongoing pest control challenges, particularly with rat activity, as evidenced by multiple failed inspections between 2022 and 2025, though some subsequent inspections have shown passing results.

The building's maintenance record shows consistent filing of bedbug reports from 2019 to 2025, though all reports indicate zero infested or re-infested units during these periods, suggesting effective monitoring protocols. A violation from 2022 requiring the filing of annual bedbug reports was documented, but this appears to have been addressed in subsequent years. Importantly, the building's fire safety systems have faced particular scrutiny, with violations in 2017 and 2024 concerning obstructions in fire escape egress, though the most recent inspection in September 2024 addressed this issue. The property's maintenance history indicates regular interaction with housing authorities, often requiring multiple complaint filings to secure inspections and verify resolution of issues, particularly during recent heat and emergency maintenance situations.