639 Alabama Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207

The 2-story, 4-unit New Law Tenement building at 639 Alabama Avenue in East New York, owned by Ethel Grecuidse and constructed in 1924, has experienced significant maintenance challenges in recent years. Between August 21-25, 2023, the building faced multiple electrical issues, including power outages and no lighting, along with reports of unsanitary conditions involving mold and pests. These issues prompted emergency Housing Maintenance Code complaints, though inspections by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) during this period found no violations.

More recent violations from August 2023 remain open, including concerns about unauthorized construction increasing occupancy from 4 to 6 units in Cellar Apartments C1 and C2, illegal cooking facilities, unauthorized wall constructions, and various electrical and building safety issues. The building's ongoing maintenance concerns are underscored by multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2023, including a broken marble saddle at the entrance, unsafe electrical wiring, and inadequate lighting in public areas. Additionally, there is an active open violation regarding the failure to file annual bedbug reports as of April 2024.

Previous complaints about illegal conversions from 2022 and 2023 indicate access issues for inspectors, suggesting possible ongoing unauthorized modifications. While the building has passed rodent inspections in 2011 and 2012, the recent surge in electrical and sanitation-related complaints raises concerns about current maintenance practices. The pattern of multiple simultaneous complaints and the variety of issues reported, including electrical problems, unsanitary conditions, and building safety concerns, suggest significant ongoing maintenance challenges, though many of these complaints have been categorized as non-violation situations following HPD inspections.