478 Hancock Street, Brooklyn, NY 11233

478 Hancock Street is a three-story, three-unit residential building in Bedford-Stuyvesant, constructed in 1899 and currently owned by Chanel Bunch. The property has experienced several significant maintenance issues, most notably a series of heating and hot water problems throughout 2021-2022, with multiple emergency complaints recorded regarding both building-wide and apartment-specific deficiencies.

These violations included inadequate heat supply, inconsistent hot water availability, and excessively hot water temperatures, particularly affecting the first-floor apartment. The building currently has three open violations from 2022 related to bedbug reporting requirements, documented inspections in 2023-2024 showing non-compliance, and multiple construction-related complaints in 2024, including work completed contrary to a stop work order and removal of violation notices, resulting in active Environmental Control Board violations with penalties totaling $7,560. Recent inspections (2024-2025) have shown improvements in rodent control, with the most recent June 2025 inspection passing, though a compliance failure was recorded in late 2022.

The building's history also shows periodic challenges with maintenance code compliance, as evidenced by multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations and complaints over the past few years, including issues with electrical wiring in common areas and gas supply to cooking fixtures. The property has undergone various inspections and complaint investigations by multiple agencies, including DOB, HPD, and DOHMH, with most complaints resulting in corrective actions, though some remain open or were closed without resolution during initial inspections. While some improvements in building conditions are evident in recent years, particularly regarding pest control, the presence of multiple open violations and recent construction-related issues suggest ongoing maintenance challenges.