297 Himrod Street, Brooklyn, NY 11237

The three-story, six-unit old law tenement building at 297 Himrod Street in Bushwick, built in 1931 and currently owned by Avner Skoczylas, has experienced ongoing maintenance and pest control challenges. Most notably, there have been persistent rodent activity issues, with the most recent compliance inspection in January 2025 confirming rat activity, following similar findings in September 2024 and multiple baiting interventions throughout 2024. The building also has several open Housing Maintenance Code violations as of May 2024, particularly affecting apartment 2L, including issues with bathroom floor tiles, waterproof subfloor, and interior wall conditions.

The property has a history of infrastructure concerns, with a boiler-related ECB violation in 2022 related to leaking pipes and maintenance issues, for which a $625 penalty was imposed. Between mid-2023 and mid-2024, multiple non-emergency and emergency complaints were filed and inspected, covering various maintenance issues including problems with flooring, walls, windows, and the intercom system, some of which received violations while others did not. The building's maintenance record shows consistent attention from both the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Department of Buildings (DOB), with numerous permits issued in 2018 for plumbing and exterior work.

Historical records indicate previous plumbing issues in 2018 that resulted in a Stop Work Order, and in 2022 there was a period of violation activity related to boiler equipment. Despite these challenges, the building has maintained a clean record regarding bedbug reports over the past several years, with no infestations reported in the mandatory annual filings. The repeated nature of the rodent activity and ongoing interior maintenance issues suggests a historical pattern of maintenance challenges at this address, while the regular issuance of work permits indicates ongoing efforts to address these concerns.