291 Cornelia Street, Brooklyn, NY 11221

291 Cornelia Street is a 3-story, 7-unit residential tenement building located in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and owned by Sinai Halberstam. Built in 1905, this New Law Tenement has experienced recurring maintenance issues over the past several years, with the most recent concerns centering around pest control and building security. In early 2025, multiple complaints were filed regarding unsanitary conditions related to garbage storage and pests, though inspections yielded mixed results, with some violations found but not warranting further enforcement. Between 2022 and 2024, the building experienced various plumbing issues, door problems, and a heat/hot water complaint in early 2022.

A significant environmental concern emerged in late 2019 when a violation was issued regarding unauthorized occupancy and structural modifications related to an illegal duplex in apartment #1L. The building's maintenance history reveals persistent rodent and sanitation challenges, with multiple failed rodent inspections occurring in 2025 and 2024. However, there have been no reported bedbug infestations in the past five years, as evidenced by the building's consistent zero infestation counts in annual bedbug reports from 2019 to 2024. Recent building security concerns were documented in late 2024 when multiple violations were issued regarding defective self-closing doors at the building's entrance and vestibule on the first story.

The property has also faced several enforcement actions related to potential illegal conversions, with partial vacate orders being served in 2025 and previous attempts to inspect the premises for compliance in 2023 and 2022 resulting in inadequate access for inspectors. The building's service history shows a pattern of reactive maintenance rather than preventive measures, with multiple complaints requiring investigation and resolution. While some violations have been promptly addressed and closed, others remain open or were only partially resolved, indicating ongoing maintenance challenges. The property's condition reveals a mix of structural and maintenance issues that have required repeated interventions from various city agencies, particularly concerning building security, pest control, and plumbing systems.