185 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206

The 8-unit, 4-story Old Law Tenement building at 185 Johnson Avenue in Williamsburg, owned by Mayer Friedman, has experienced several significant maintenance issues in recent months as of July 2025. Between early June 2025 and a subsequent series of inspections, the building had multiple complaints requiring HPD attention, including water leaks (with one violation issued), unsanitary conditions (including mold and sewage issues), electrical problems (including power outages and lighting issues), and problems with paint/plaster on ceilings. These complaints, while many were ultimately closed without violations, suggest ongoing building system challenges.

Historically, the building's maintenance record shows a pattern of various violations and compliance issues. In 2024, there were violations regarding building entrance security and a self-closing door in apartment 3L. The property has maintained a consistent record of submitting bedbug reports showing zero infestations from 2019 through 2024, indicating good pest management practices.

However, there remains an active DOB violation from June 2023 regarding the failure to file a 2019 external low-pressure inspection. The building's rodent inspection history shows mixed results, with passed inspections in 2016 and 2022, but an initial rat activity finding in 2018. The property has undergone various improvements over the years, including addressing multiple housing maintenance code violations related to smoke detector requirements, building safety notices, and more. The most recent set of complaints and violations from 2025, clustered around June, indicate current maintenance challenges that may affect resident comfort, though many of these issues were not found to violate housing laws upon inspection.