99 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237

99 Morgan Avenue, a 3-story, 4-unit tenement building in East Williamsburg owned by Virgil Chong, has experienced several notable incidents since its 1920 construction. The building suffered a significant fire in May 2021 that caused partial roof collapse and damage to the adjoining building (97 Morgan Ave), resulting in a full vacate order and multiple Department of Buildings violations that were later dismissed.

Between 2021 and 2023, the building underwent various repairs and faced multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations, including safety-related issues such as defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, questionable security features affecting egress, and a problematic skylight on the third story. Recent inspections in 2023-2025 have revealed several open violations, including safety concerns related to vestibule doors, a defective boiler room wall, and a problematic fire escape window lock in Apartment 2R, though previous electrical and water leak complaints from 2021 were resolved with no violations found. The building has experienced ongoing pest management challenges, with recent rat activity reported in 2025 despite the property passing multiple rodent inspections throughout the years.

Notable violations include multiple failures to comply with bedbug reporting requirements (now resolved), and the building has maintained consistency in reporting no bedbug infestations in recent years. Between 2019 and 2023, there were instances of unauthorized construction work, including the installation of an unpermitted mezzanine floor, which resulted in Environmental Control Board violations totaling over $10,000. The building's most recent bedbug reports from 2024 show zero infested units, and rodent inspections in 2025 have generally resulted in passing grades, though with some initial rat activity reports.