225 Foster Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11230

The 37-unit, 4-story New Law tenement building at 225 Foster Avenue in Kensington, owned by Cathy Rainone and constructed in 1931, has experienced several notable maintenance and safety issues over recent years. Most recently, in September 2023, there was a rodent sighting complaint that was investigated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which found no violations. This followed a smoking violation in 2022 that was addressed.

More significant concerns emerged during 2018-2019, when the building faced heating and hot water issues affecting individual apartments, along with multiple complaints about unsanitary conditions including pests and garbage/recycling storage problems, though inspectors were unable to access the premises to verify these conditions. During an October 2018 inspection, multiple violations were documented, including safety concerns regarding obstructed egress from fire escapes, encumbered hallways, and missing electrical outlet safety caps, all of which were subsequently certified as corrected. The building's recent history includes two significant events in 2022 regarding unauthorized work: a July incident of work without a permit that led to a stop work order, and a September complaint about work contrary to a stop work order, though both complaints were ultimately unsubstantiated.

Environmental Control Board records indicate a violation related to unpermitted rooftop work in July 2022, though this violation was resolved with no penalties. On a more positive note, the building has demonstrated effective pest control in recent years, with no bedbug reports since 2021 and consistently showing zero infested units in recent annual filings. The most recent rodent inspection in October 2023 resulted in a passing grade, suggesting current conditions are being maintained adequately, though the building's history shows periodic maintenance and compliance challenges that have required attention from multiple city agencies over the years.