284 East 31st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11226

The 19-unit, 4-story New Law tenement building at 284 East 31st Street in East Flatbush, owned by Mendel Klein, has experienced several maintenance and infrastructure challenges over the past year. Most recently, in May 2025, the building faced multiple violations including plumbing issues (basin/sink), flooring problems, and wall maintenance needs, all of which resulted in HPD violations requiring owner remediation. There were also complaints in May 2025 regarding unsanitary garbage/recycling storage and electrical lighting issues, though inspections found no violations for these two complaints.

The building has a concerning history of heat and hot water problems, with emergencies reported in December 2024 and violations noted during inspections in October 2024. The building's unit 5D underwent significant inspection in October 2024, revealing several violations including missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, rodent infestations (mice and cockroaches), and issues with hot water exceeding the maximum temperature of 130 degrees. Previous months saw multiple door-related concerns, particularly regarding self-closing mechanisms, and hardware issues in both units 1C and 2C during 2023-2024. The property has shown consistent compliance with bedbug reporting requirements, with all 19 units officially declared as having no infestations in recent annual filings from 2022 through 2024.

Past Department of Buildings complaints from 2018-2021 regarding illegal conversions and egress issues generally resulted in inspectors being unable to gain access, though two complaints were dismissed as having no violations upon inspection. The building's maintenance record reveals persistent basic maintenance issues requiring attention, though recent months have shown some pattern of violations being addressed through HPD inspections and violation issuance. While there have been significant infrastructure concerns, particularly regarding heating systems and various maintenance needs, the lack of recent bedbug or serious pest complaints suggests some level of effective pest management. The building's age (constructed in 1931) and recent pattern of violations suggest ongoing maintenance challenges typical of older NYC tenements, with particular attention needed to ensure timely remediation of newly issued violations based on recent HPD inspections.