218 Cumberland Street, Brooklyn, NY 11205

218 Cumberland Street is a 5-story, 10-unit residential building constructed in 1895 in Fort Greene, currently owned by Jinkai Gao. The property has experienced recurring heat and hot water system issues, with multiple complaints in late 2020 and early 2021 reporting building-wide outages, though records indicate systems were restored in response to tenant complaints.

More recent concerns have included rodent activity, with inspections in 2023 showing rat sightings and initial rat activity, though a subsequent August 2023 inspection passed compliance. The building currently has active violations for failing to file external low pressure inspections for 2018, 2019, and 2023, as well as a 2024 violation related to door security at the public entrance, though previous violations regarding boiler inspection and bedbug reporting have been resolved. From 2020 to 2025, the building has maintained a consistent record of submitting bedbug reports indicating zero infested units during each reporting period.

In 2021, there was a documented water leak issue that HPD was unable to inspect, and several housing maintenance code violations have been recorded and subsequently closed, including issues with public hall maintenance and an electromagnetic door lock. The property has also undergone various inspections and received permits for maintenance work, with the most recent permit issued in October 2020. The building's management has shown responsiveness to some issues, as evidenced by prompt closure of many service requests, though certain historical patterns of maintenance concerns, particularly regarding basic services like heat and hot water, may warrant attention.