38 Catherine Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

The three-story, six-unit tenement building at 38 Catherine Street in East Williamsburg, built in 1920 and currently owned by Joshua Wagschal, has experienced several concerning maintenance issues in recent years. Most notably, there have been multiple complaints regarding unsanitary conditions, particularly involving mold and sewage problems in 2023-2024. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) received four emergency complaints about sewage issues in mid-2023 and April 2024, though they were reportedly unable to gain access for inspection in two instances, and inspections of mold complaints in April 2024 found no violations.

The building also presents active concerns related to rodent activity, with a pattern of initial violations for rat activity noted in 2014-2016, though a compliance inspection in November 2024 passed. A technical issue remains as of June 2023, with an active Department of Buildings violation for failure to file the 2019 external low-pressure inspection. On a more positive note, the building has consistently reported no bedbug infestations in its annual reports from 2019 through 2024, demonstrating effective pest management in this regard.

The most recent development is the issuance of a new permit in July 2024, suggesting some form of building improvement or maintenance work is planned or underway. The building's history shows a periodic pattern of maintenance issues, particularly in the past two years, though many recent complaints have been closed with various outcomes. While some issues were not substantiated through inspections, the frequency of complaints related to unsanitary conditions and the presence of rodent activity suggest ongoing challenges with building maintenance.