721 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216

721 Dekalb Avenue is a 5-story, 18-unit residential building in Bedford-Stuyvesant, owned by Herminio Torres and built in 1915 as a New Law Tenement. The building has experienced persistent pest management challenges, particularly in Apartment 3A, with documented infestations of roaches, bedbugs, and mice throughout 2024, leading to multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations.

Despite some violations being resolved by the owner, including heating issues and egress obstruction problems, others remain open as of 2024, including issues with wall paint conditions and a broken window sash. The building has also exhibited ongoing pest-related concerns, with multiple 311 service requests in 2025 indicating sanitary challenges, though inspections generally found no housing law violations. Recent inspections and violations paint a complex picture of maintenance challenges, including three active Department of Buildings violations from 2023 regarding failure to file external low-pressure inspections.

While rodent inspections have shown mixed results, with some passing and occasional rat activity detections (most recently in July 2025), the building's overall condition suggests persistent maintenance and pest management issues. The property has documented bedbug infestations in 2022, 2023, and 2024, though records indicate successful eradication efforts with no re-infestation in subsequent reporting periods. The building's maintenance history reflects ongoing efforts to address various issues, with some violations being certified as corrected, while others, particularly those related to pest management and specific apartment conditions, appear to require continued attention.