156 Knickerbocker Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237

The three-story, five-unit Old Law Tenement building at 156 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick, owned by Sarah Fried, has experienced several significant maintenance issues over recent years, most notably concerning heating systems. Most recently, in January 2025, there was a heat and hot water emergency that was resolved quickly, though it required HPD intervention. This was not an isolated incident, as similar heating issues were recorded in multiple complaints from 2023 through early 2025.

The building has also faced some sanitation challenges, including a 2023 complaint about garbage/recycling storage that was investigated but found not to violate HPD housing laws. While a food establishment inspection in late 2023 noted improper food handling practices (bare hands in contact with food), this was ultimately administratively closed. The building has been subject to routine inspections and reporting requirements, particularly regarding bed bugs.

Four consecutive yearly bed bug violation notices were issued between 2021 and 2024 for failure to submit the required reports, though subsequent filings from 2025 show no infested units were reported for the periods between 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. Rodent inspections have been consistently passed since 2020, indicating no persistent rodent issues, and the most recent inspections in 2023-2025 have shown good compliance with health codes. The building's overall maintenance record suggests some recurring issues, particularly with heating systems, but recent bed bug reporting compliance and consistently passed rodent inspections indicate improvements in certain maintenance areas.