470 East New York Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225

The 6-unit, 3-story New Law Tenement building at 470 East New York Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, built in 1931 and currently owned by Nickel Luma Living Trust, has experienced numerous pressing maintenance issues in recent years. Most notably, during 2024-2025, there were recurring problems with heat and hot water systems, with multiple complaints indicating disruptions, including several instances where HPD inspectors were unable to gain access to verify conditions.

The building has also faced persistent sanitary challenges, particularly concerning pest infestations, with multiple complaints filed in 2024-2025 that HPD inspectors were unable to fully investigate due to access issues. Significant recent maintenance concerns include electrical problems (both wiring and lighting issues reported as emergencies in 2025), water leak incidents (the most recent in June 2025), and various structural maintenance needs. The building currently has multiple open housing maintenance code violations, primarily affecting Apartment 2, including issues with peeling paint, defective fixtures, and evidence of rodent infestations.

The Department of Buildings records show multiple active violations for failure to file required external low pressure inspections between 2019-2023, with the most recent violation dated September 2024. While there was a rodent activity report from 2019, the building's bedbug reporting from 2022-2023 shows no infestations. The persistent nature of these maintenance issues, particularly those affecting basic services like heat and hot water, and the multiple instances of inspection access problems, suggests ongoing challenges with building maintenance and tenant communication.