256 Stagg Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206

The three-story, six-unit tenement building at 256 Stagg Street in East Williamsburg, owned by James Ayala, has experienced several concerning issues in recent years, with the most significant problems occurring in the past year. Most notably, there were multiple complaints about heat and hot water issues in January 2025, with two emergency complaints being filed within days of each other, though these were processed as duplicates of a building-wide condition.

The building has also faced ongoing rodent problems throughout 2023 and 2024, with numerous complaints filed with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, including eight complaints in July 2024 alone about "Signs of Rodents," with subsequent inspections noting "Rat Activity" into 2025. Additional maintenance issues have been documented, including a July 2023 complaint about unsanitary conditions related to pests, and various complaints in 2024 regarding flooring, walls, and garbage storage. The building's violation history shows two open Class A violations from 2023 and 2024 related to the failure to file annual bedbug reports, though there have been no documented infestations or eradications in the bedbug reporting records from 2018 to 2021.

Other historical violations have been addressed, such as a 2018 issue with the front building intercom system and a 2020 mold complaint. Recent inspections have shown some progress, with the most recent September 2024 inspection passing, though earlier inspections documented persistent rat activity and required bait application. While the building has been responsive to some maintenance issues, as evidenced by the closure of various complaints, the recurring nature of heat, rodent, and various maintenance complaints suggests ongoing challenges in building upkeep.