444 Lexington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221

444 Lexington Avenue, a 4-story New Law Tenement built in 1931 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, currently managed by Joe Central Brooklyn LLC, has experienced significant recurring maintenance issues throughout 2024-2025. Most recently, in June 2025, there was a building-wide heat and hot water outage that was resolved shortly after inspection, and prior to that, multiple plumbing issues were reported in May 2025, including water supply problems and bathtub/shower concerns, resulting in at least three violations.

The building has shown persistent infrastructural challenges, with documented violations including a rodent infestation in apartment 4B (December 2024), multiple plumbing issues (water supply and radiator problems), and electrical concerns between late 2024 and mid-2025. Apartment 2C has multiple open violations from late 2024, including issues with window repairs, door locks, bathroom mold, and deficiencies in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. The property has a history of rodent problems, with several rat activity inspections recorded between May-November 2024, and multiple bait applications in June 2024.

While the building has had regular bedbug inspections from 2019 through 2025 showing generally no infestations or eradications, the ongoing maintenance issues, particularly related to heating, plumbing, and safety systems, suggest persistent building system challenges. Additionally, there are multiple plumbing-related complaints and violations recorded throughout 2024-2025, including water leaks, sanitation concerns (mold), and various infrastructure problems, indicating ongoing maintenance and repair needs. The most recent construction work on record was permitted in May 2019, but there are no recent improvement records to suggest any major building system upgrades.