272 East 53rd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11203

The two-story, three-unit building at 272 East 53rd Street in East Flatbush, owned by Egbert Richards, has experienced several significant issues since 2019. In March 2019, multiple emergency complaints were filed regarding heating and hot water problems, unsanitary conditions including mold, ceiling paint/plaster issues, water leaks, and radiator plumbing concerns.

While some of these complaints resulted in violations being issued, others were closed without violations. The building has persistent open violations related to bedbug report filings for the years 2019-2024, including the most recent violation from April 2024. The property has a documented illegal conversion issue, with an Department of Buildings (DOB) Environmental Control Board violation from July 2019 (active with a $2,500 penalty) showing unauthorized Class B rooms created in the cellar with sleeping accommodations, kitchen, and bathroom facilities.

Various violations were also identified in September 2019, particularly affecting the second-floor apartment (2F), including electrical wiring problems, safety concerns with doors, and pest infestation issues, though most of these were subsequently closed. The building's maintenance issues continued through 2019, with specific violations regarding fire egress, window gates, and plumbing problems being addressed between September and October 2019. The most recent DOB violations include a 2020 failure to certify correction of an immediately hazardous violation, which remains active as of October 2023.