50 Downing Street, Brooklyn, NY 11238

The three-story, three-unit building at 50 Downing Street in Clinton Hill, owned by Matthew Riba, has experienced several notable issues in recent years, with the most concerning being an ongoing rodent infestation. The property has recorded consistent rat activity throughout 2024, with inspections showing rat presence in February, April, and most recently in November 2024.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) responded to a rat sighting complaint in January 2024 and found violations requiring follow-up inspections. The building has also faced challenges with its bedbug reporting compliance, receiving Housing Maintenance Code violations in both 2021 and 2022 for failing to file the required annual bedbug report. However, all subsequent bedbug reports from 2022 through December 2024 show no infested units, indicating successful infestation management since the violations were issued.

Prior to these issues, the building had a complaint in February 2020 regarding work done without proper permits, though the inspector was unable to gain access during the inspection. The property's current focus appears to be addressing the persistent rodent problem, as evidenced by multiple DOHMH inspections and the most recent complaint filed in January 2024. The building's age (constructed in 1870) and conversion to Class A status suggest it has undergone significant changes over its lifetime, but recent years have been primarily marked by these pest-related challenges rather than structural or other maintenance issues.