678 Sheffield Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207

The two-story New Law tenement at 678 Sheffield Avenue in East New York, owned by Colin James, has been facing persistent regulatory challenges over the past several years, particularly regarding pest management compliance. The building has accumulated multiple open Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2021 through 2024, all relating to the failure to file required annual bedbug reports with HPD, though none of these violations appear to have been related to active infestations based on the available data.

The property has also experienced several concerning incidents regarding building safety and unauthorized modifications, including a significant Environmental Control Board violation in August 2023 for obstructing an exit passageway with construction materials (specifically 16 sheets of gypsum wall board), for which a $1,250 penalty was imposed. This violation, while resolved in terms of regulatory status, raises concerns about previous management of common areas. Prior to this, there were three notable complaints to the Department of Buildings regarding unauthorized work or illegal conversions in 2019, 2022, and 2023, though inspection access was not granted in each case, making it difficult to verify these claims.

The building's history includes rodent inspections in 2011 and 2012, with two initial inspections resulting in failures for unspecified reasons, though subsequent compliance inspections passed. These inspections, occurring approximately 13 years ago, suggest earlier pest control challenges that may have been addressed. While the building is currently compliant with all recent inspections and violations, the pattern of bedbug report violations spanning multiple years from 2021 to the present indicates ongoing challenges with adherence to housing maintenance requirements.