1231 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11221

The 6-unit, 4-story tenement building at 1231 Broadway in Bushwick, owned by Shu Hui Chen, was constructed in 1931 and has experienced a variety of maintenance and safety issues over recent years. Most concerning was a series of fire escape-related emergency violations in October 2020 and multiple pest-related complaints, including rodent sightings in February 2020 and during subsequent inspections between 2021 and 2025, though recent inspections in 2025 and 2024 passed without issues. The building has also faced significant maintenance challenges, including recurring heating and hot water complaints in 2018, ventilation issues in 2021, and multiple instances of paint/plaster problems in 2018.

Several housing maintenance code violations were documented in 2020, particularly affecting Apartment 4R, including mold issues, defective window guards, and the need for bathroom renovations, though most were subsequently resolved. The building's earlier history includes a 2018 ECB violation for unpermitted work involving fire separation partitions, and there have been three consecutive years (2020-2023) of bedbug reporting showing zero infested units. More recent inspections have shown improved conditions, with no major violations reported in 2022-2023.

The Department of Buildings conducted multiple investigations into possible illegal conversions and unpermitted work between 2018 and 2022, though no violations were substantiated upon inspection. The building has maintained compliance with rodent inspections, with no active infestations reported in 2025. While the property has experienced various maintenance issues over the years, recent bedbug reports and rodent inspections indicate improved conditions, though periodic maintenance issues related to building systems and safety features have been documented. The property owner has obtained multiple permits for various work, with the most recent significant permit activity occurring in 2020.