219 Highlawn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11223

The two-story, three-unit residential building at 219 Highlawn Avenue in Gravesend, owned by Qi Jun Lei, has experienced several significant maintenance issues, particularly in terms of heat and electrical systems, since late 2020. Most notably, between December 2020 and February 2021, there were multiple emergency complaints and violations related to heat and hot water issues, including an entire building outage in February 2021 that could not be verified due to access issues.

The building experienced various electrical problems in December 2020, including wiring issues, power outages, and problems with outlets and switches, all of which resulted in violations. The second-floor apartment (2F) has documented issues that were particularly concerning, including a bedbug infestation as of 2020, along with multiple maintenance violations that have been noted as open and unresolved, pertaining to a broken GFI electrical outlet, light switch issues, excessive hot water, and damaged vinyl floor tiles in both the kitchen and foyer areas. The building's recent history shows persistent compliance issues, with multiple open violations regarding the failure to file required annual bedbug reports from 2021 through 2024, indicating an ongoing oversight in building management responsibilities.

While several complaints from 2020-2021 were ultimately closed, many were due to access issues preventing proper inspection rather than confirmed resolution of the problems. The most recent available inspection data from 2024 still shows open violations regarding bedbug reporting requirements, and a 2020 inspection identified multiple specific issues within the 2F apartment that remained open as of 2024. Despite the age of the building (built in 1930), the concentration of maintenance issues, particularly during the winter of 2020-2021, suggests historical challenges with the building's systems and management response.