50 Mac Donough Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216

The 4-story, 8-unit Old Law Tenement building at 50 Mac Donough Street, owned by Drew Popkin and constructed in 1931, has experienced significant heating system issues between November and December 2024, with multiple complaints about inadequate heat and hot water. These complaints resulted in at least one confirmed HPD violation related to hot water delivery in Apartment 5. More recently, in 2025, there have been door-related issues requiring HPD inspections, though these were determined not to violate housing laws.

The building has a documented history of maintenance challenges, including mold (August 2024), water leaks (August 2024), and rodent activity, with several bait applications recorded in early 2025. Significant violations were recorded in 2019-2020, including illegal dwelling unit concerns and safety system deficiencies such as missing fire alarms and inadequate means of egress, particularly affecting Apartment 4 on the second floor. The building underwent multiple construction-related inspections between 2019-2020, resulting in several stop work orders and citations for unauthorized construction, though most were later dismissed or resolved.

Recent inspections indicate ongoing rodent control efforts, with compliance checks noting rat activity as recently as 2025. The building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug infestations since 2019, with no reported cases in the past six years. While many historical violations have been resolved, there are currently open violations from 2023 regarding heating system access and from 2021 concerning plaster and paint conditions in Apartment 3. The property has undergone various permitted work, including plumbing and electrical updates, though some construction-related violations from 2019-2020 invoiced penalties totaling over $74,000 were recorded, primarily related to unauthorized dwelling unit concerns, though these fines may have changed due to subsequent resolutions.