603 Midwood Street, Brooklyn, NY 11203

The two-story, three-unit residential building at 603 Midwood Street in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, owned by John Grant, has experienced several significant issues in recent years, particularly relating to illegal unit conversion and safety compliance. Most notably, in late 2023, multiple violations were documented regarding unauthorized conversions of the property into additional dwelling units and SROs (Single Room Occupancies) or furnished rooms, particularly on the second floor and basement.

These violations included serious safety concerns such as inadequate automatic sprinklers, insufficient means of egress, and missing required fire alarm systems for transient occupancy, all of which were classified as requiring remediation to "discontinue illegal occupancy." The building has also demonstrated recurring non-compliance with the Housing Maintenance Code's bedbug reporting requirements from 2021 through 2024, maintaining open violations related to annual bedbug report filings. The property has faced access-related enforcement challenges, with multiple instances in late 2023 and 2024 involving failure to comply with vacate orders, where inspectors were unable to gain access despite multiple attempts.

While there was a rat sighting reported in July 2023, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's subsequent inspection found no violations. The building has otherwise maintained basic safety compliance, passing an August 2023 rodent inspection and experiencing no recorded penalties or outstanding balance dues related to its numerous violations. It's important to note that while many violations were marked as "Resolved," this typically indicates administrative closure rather than necessarily confirming full compliance with the cited issues, particularly given the complex nature of the violations involving unauthorized unit conversion and safety systems.