723 Essex Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208

The two-family house at 723 Essex Street in East New York, owned by Marva Gordon-steele, has experienced several concerning issues in recent years, particularly in 2024 and 2023. Most notably, there have been multiple complaints regarding flooring conditions between October 2024 and October 2024, with five separate flooring/stairs complaints filed in October 2024 alone, many classified as emergency situations. All these complaints resulted in HPD inspectors being unable to gain access to perform necessary inspections, though one was eventually addressed through an emergency Housing Maintenance Code complaint.

The building has also faced safety concerns, including complaints about smoke detectors and fire escape conditions in August 2023, again with access issues preventing proper inspection. In early 2025, there were multiple complaints about unlicensed/illegal activity, with two complaints in January 2025 resulting in a Full Stop Work Order being served and one Oath Violation served for unauthorized plumbing work and subfloor installation. Earlier historical issues include two separate complaints about heat/hot water problems affecting the entire building in early 2021, which were also marked by access denial during inspections.

The building has undergone some construction or renovation activity that has generated multiple complaints about dust and work being done without proper permits, as evidenced by violations issued in October 2024 regarding excessive dust in the hallways and unpermitted construction work. Despite these issues, the property has maintained consistent rodent inspection passes since 2011, with the most recent inspection in 2018 showing compliance. The building's overall record suggests ongoing maintenance and access-related challenges, particularly regarding the ability of inspectors to properly assess reported conditions.