68 East 19th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11226

68 East 19th Street is a 6-story, 48-unit residential building built in 1931 in the Flatbush neighborhood, currently owned by Shari Cohen. The property has experienced ongoing maintenance issues, particularly with its heating system, as evidenced by multiple emergency heat/hot water complaints from March to May 2025, affecting the entire building. These complaints generally involved periods without heat or hot water, though HPD inspections typically found these issues resolved upon inspection. The building has also faced challenges with rodent activity, with notable rat sightings reported in May 2025, following multiple inspections throughout 2025 confirming rat activity and bait application.

A significant cluster of violations and complaints was documented in late 2024, including issues with the hydronic heater in apartment 6C, various maintenance concerns in apartment 6D (including door, plaster, and paint issues), and an inoperable building entrance door latch. The elevator system has been a recurring focus of complaints, with multiple service requests and violations regarding its operation, though most recent inspections found no violations. While there have been periods of bedbug infestations in the past (notably in 2022-2023 and 2019), the most recent bedbug report for 2023-2024 shows no affected units. The building has undergone various upgrade attempts, with permit records from 2020-2021 showing work related to elevator and other improvements, though some complaints regarding tenant safety and proper notification requirements have been noted during inspections.

The property has a history of compliance issues that have required attention from multiple city agencies, though most violations from late 2024 were subsequently resolved. Of particular note is the building's recent heating system problems, which have generated numerous complaints throughout 2025, as well as ongoing rodent management challenges. The elevator system has been a recurring focus of maintenance and safety concerns, with multiple complaints and violations recorded across different years, though inspections typically found no active violations at the time of inspection. The building's maintenance history shows some attention to repairs and compliance requirements, as evidenced by the resolution of various violations, though the frequency of heating and rodent-related complaints suggests these remain persistent challenges for the property. The most recent rodent inspections and bait application in 2025 indicate ongoing efforts to address this issue.