8420 20th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11214

The 31-unit, 4-story New Law Tenement building at 8420 20th Avenue in Bensonhurst, owned by Michael Malek and constructed in 1922, has experienced several recurring maintenance issues over the past few years. Most notably, there have been two heat/hot water complaints in the past three years - most recently in October 2023 when HPD was unable to access units for inspection, and previously in January 2022 when the issue was verified and corrected. A concerning lead dust complaint related to common areas remains unresolved as of July 2023.

The building underwent significant documented issues in July 2022, when multiple violations were recorded including unsanitary conditions (pests and mold), defective flooring, and window problems, particularly affecting apartment A3 as detailed in several violations. These violations included safety concerns such as missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, along with more general maintenance issues like broken wood floors and plastered surfaces. The building has a history of pest management challenges, as evidenced by a "B" class violation for mice infestation in A3 in July 2022, and historical rodent inspection results showing a mix of passed and failed inspections from 2012 to 2017.

While most recent bedbug reports from 2022 to 2024 show zero infested units, suggesting effective management since a single incident in 2020-2021, the building's maintenance history shows persistent issues with basic systems. Multiple flooring/stairs complaints between 2020 and 2021, including three separate complaints in September 2020 and another in August 2020, indicate ongoing maintenance challenges. An illegal commercial use complaint from 2020 was investigated but no violations were found. The building's most recent bedbug report from December 2024 shows zero current infestations, maintaining a pattern of effective eradication since the 2020 incident.