507 Central Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221

The three-story, six-unit tenement building at 507 Central Avenue in Bushwick, owned by Joe Jacobs and dating back to 1910, has experienced a series of concerning maintenance and safety issues in recent years. Most notably, in June 2025, there were multiple unresolved complaints regarding unsanitary conditions (pests and mold), broken window guards, smoke detector issues, water leaks, and general maintenance problems, all of which went uninspected due to access issues. The building has a significant history of safety compliance issues, including multiple **Emergency** violations in 2024-2025 related to window guards, smoke detectors, and heating systems. There are also **Active** violations regarding the failure to file annual external low-pressure inspections from 2018-2024, and a **Current Open Violation** from September 2023 regarding roof leaks and mold conditions in apartment 3L.

The property has struggled with multiple **Illegal Conversion** investigations from 2022-2024, with varying outcomes of access denial or violation served. Environmental concerns include periodic rat activity as recently as May 2025, though previous inspections from 2022 and prior had passed. A bedbug infestation was reported and resolved in 2025, with no other reported incidents in the previous five years. The building's emergency systems have been repeatedly cited for non-compliance, including issues with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in unit 1R in 2024, along with heating system access problems.

Recent complaints from June 2025 indicate ongoing pest and mold issues, though these remained unverified due to inspection access issues. The property has demonstrated some pattern of responsiveness to violations, as several older violations have been closed, including those related to smoke detectors, heating systems, and various general maintenance issues. However, the repeated nature of many complaints, particularly in 2024-2025, suggests ongoing maintenance challenges. The building's age and history of inspection challenges, combined with the frequency and variety of recent complaints, indicate significant ongoing maintenance and safety oversight issues that require attention.