1552 East 53rd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11234

The two-story, three-unit residential building at 1552 East 53rd Street in Flatlands, owned by Richard Ruocco, has experienced significant maintenance challenges, particularly in its third apartment (Unit 3), since late 2024. The property has documented multiple violations related to unsanitary conditions, with open citations for pest infestations (both mice and bedbugs) and mold issues, as well as maintenance problems including plumbing, window repairs, and door defects.

In February 2025 alone, there were nine separate complaints filed with HPD, covering issues with flooring, cabinets, ceilings, sanitation, and heat/hot water, with violations issued for unsanitary conditions, wall paint/plaster issues, and plumbing problems. The building's bedbug reporting indicates a single infested unit in the most recent filing period (2023-2024), following a pattern of infestations and successful eradications in previous years, though the previous two years showed no infestations. The property, which was built in 1920 and is classified as "Hereafter Converted Class A," has undergone various inspections and maintenance requirements under the Housing Maintenance Code.

Recent violations from December 2024 include requirements to address paint conditions, fix mold (affecting ceilings and walls), resolve pest infestations, and repair various structural issues in Unit 3. Historical bedbug reports (dating back to 2019-2020) demonstrate a recurring but managed pest control pattern, with the most recent instance reported as eradicated. While many of the recent HPD complaints were resolved through inspections that determined conditions did not violate housing laws, several resulted in violations requiring attention, particularly regarding pests, mold, and various maintenance issues in the building's most affected unit.