555 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221

The four-story, 15-unit tenement building at 555 Gates Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, owned by Eric Orlofsky and constructed in 1910, has experienced recurring heat/hot water issues in recent years, with the most recent complaint registered in November 2023. Notably, there have been multiple heating system failures reported both for individual apartments and the entire building between 2020 and 2023. A cluster of complaints emerged in March 2019 involving various issues including plumbing problems, paint/plaster concerns, and a water leak, though no violations were issued following inspections.

The building underwent a significant inspection in May 2022, resulting in several Housing Maintenance Code violations related to safety signage, including requirements for carbon monoxide detector notices, gas leak procedures, and heating system contact information. There were also multiple illegal egress-related complaints in late 2019, one of which resulted in an OATH violation. While the building experienced bedbug infestations in two units during 2019-2020, subsequent annual reports from 2021 through 2024 have shown no further infestations.

Rodent activity remains a significant ongoing concern, with multiple inspections between 2023 and 2024 consistently indicating rat presence, though it should be noted that the building passed a compliance inspection in October 2022. The property has documented compliance with various safety requirements, as evidenced by closed violations and regular bedbug reporting showing eradication of past infestations. Recent inspections in 2023 and 2024 have highlighted continued challenges with heat systems and rodent control, indicating these remain persistent issues affecting resident quality of life. The building has maintained active compliance with bedbug reporting requirements through 2024, showing proper remediation procedures when infestations occurred, though recent rodent inspection results suggest ongoing pest management challenges.