181 Hawthorne Street, Brooklyn, NY 11225

181 Hawthorne Street, a 6-story, 59-unit building constructed in 1941 in the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, has experienced numerous maintenance and safety issues in recent years. Most notably, there has been an ongoing pattern of heat and hot water complaints throughout 2025, with multiple reports in February, March, and April 2025, suggesting persistent building-wide heating system problems. The building has also faced challenges with rodent infestations, evidenced by multiple rat activity reports in 2025 and a failed inspection result in February 2025.

Several service requests for various issues in 2025, including door problems and unsanitary conditions, indicate continuing maintenance concerns. The building's history reveals multiple violations and complaints related to basic habitability issues. Between 2022 and 2025, there have been confirmed instances of pest infestations, including a documented bedbug issue in apartment 1A in 2024 and reported mice infestation in apartment 2C in 2024.

Violations from 2024 included problems with window guards, pest infestations, and various maintenance issues in apartments 1A and 2C, though records indicate that many of these violations were subsequently resolved. The elevator system has been a recurring concern, with multiple complaints about single device operation and no alternate service between 2021 and 2023, though inspections typically found no violations at the time. While there have been some emergency complaints requiring immediate attention, such as the heating system failures, many service requests have gone unresolved due to inspectors' inability to gain access to the apartments for proper evaluation.