217 Covert Street, Brooklyn, NY 11207

217 Covert Street is a 3-story, 4-unit residential building located in Bushwick, constructed in 1912 and currently owned by Steven Speranza. The property has a concerning pattern of ongoing maintenance and safety issues, particularly regarding rodent control and record-keeping compliance. Most notably, there are open violations from 2021-2024 related to the failure to file annual bedbug reports, and multiple active violations regarding the failure to file required external low pressure inspection reports between 2018-2023.

The building has experienced persistent rodent problems, with the most recent inspections in 2025 (March and May) showing rat activity, though there were some periods of compliance in 2020 and 2022. A significant heat/hot water complaint was filed in September 2018, though inspectors were unable to access the building for verification at that time. The building's history includes a 2019 Department of Buildings investigation regarding unsafe construction conditions, which resulted in a stop work order that was eventually rescinded.

Multiple permits were issued in late 2018 for alteration work. The property has undergone regular inspections, including several for rodent control, with varying results. While some issues have been addressed (e.g., rodent bait application in 2022), the pattern of repeated violations and inspections suggests ongoing management challenges. The most pressing current concerns appear to be the multiple open violations regarding required safety inspections and reporting, as well as the recurring rodent activity that has persisted despite various mitigation efforts.