197 Irving Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237

197 Irving Avenue in Bushwick is a 3-story, 6-unit New Law tenement building constructed in 1931, currently owned by Shloma Stuhl. The property has experienced consistent pest-related issues over the years, with particularly notable rodent problems emerging in 2024-2025. Between January 2024 and September 2025, multiple inspections recorded rat activity, and bait was applied several times throughout early 2025.

The building has also faced recurring heat and water service issues, with a particularly recent incident in February 2025 affecting the entire building, though heat and hot water were reportedly restored during the inspection. Unsanitary conditions have been a persistent concern, including problematic garbage/recycling storage noted in early 2025, which HPD inspected but determined did not violate housing laws. The building's history reveals significant maintenance challenges, particularly regarding pest control. The summer of 2022 saw multiple violations issued for roach and mice infestations in apartment 1R, while apartment 2L reported similar issues.

Previous years (2018-2019) also show documented pest problems, including waterbug infestations in common areas. Building maintenance records from 2022 indicate work was required on various systems, including painting of steam pipe risers and fire escape repairs. While the building has maintained compliance with bedbug reporting requirements from 2021 onwards, showing zero infested units in recent filings, the ongoing rodent issues and sporadic heating problems suggest significant challenges of maintaining basic living conditions. The property has generally addressed violations in accordance with housing maintenance codes, though with notable delays in certain areas such as garbage storage compliance.