1720 East 13th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11229

The 75-unit, 6-story residential building at 1720 East 13th Street in Sheepshead Bay, owned by Arkady Blustein, has experienced several maintenance and safety issues over the past few years. Most notably, in 2024, there were multiple complaints about wall paint/plaster conditions that required HPD intervention, though inspectors were unable to gain access to verify these issues. A pest infestation was documented and subsequently resolved within days in March 2024. The building has also faced significant safety concerns, including a violation issued in July 2024 for an illegal key-operated double cylinder lock at the building entrance, and a Class B violation for a stone and cement partition erected under the fire escape ladder at the front of the building.

Looking back at the building's history, there was a heat and hot water emergency in January 2022 that was resolved relatively quickly, and an electrical wiring issue was documented in March 2024 that resulted in an Oath violation. The building has maintained an active bedbug monitoring program, with reports showing no infested or re-infested units from 2021 through 2024. Previous violations include a 2018 case regarding missing window guards in apartment 3A, which was subsequently resolved. The property has undergone various inspections and received violations related to building maintenance, including an exterior wall maintenance violation in 2022, and there were some plumbing-related issues in 2018 that were ultimately dismissed.

All past bedbug reports between 2019 and 2024 show zero infested units, indicating effective pest management. The most recent bedbug report for the period ending October 2024 shows no infestations, and prior annual reports also confirm the absence of bedbug issues. The building's management has responded to violations and complaints as required, though access for inspections has sometimes been a barrier to complete resolution, particularly for the paint/plaster issues in 2024. The property appears to have maintained reasonable compliance with housing codes overall, with most violations being addressed and closed in due course, though some recent issues regarding building access and safety features remain notable.