88-23 53rd Avenue, Queens, NY 11373

The three-story residential building at 88-23 53rd Avenue in Elmhurst, owned by Lin Fei Zou, has experienced several concerning maintenance issues over recent years, particularly regarding heating and safety systems. The 1975 building, classified as a 2-family house, has registered multiple emergency heat/hot water complaints in both 2020 and 2022 that required HPD intervention but notably lacked tenant access for inspection. Safety concerns emerged in 2020 with reports regarding carbon monoxide and smoke detector functionality, though these complaints were also closed due to access issues.

A specific building code violation was documented in 2020 regarding an illegal double-cylinder key lock on the first-story metal entrance door. Significant safety and habitability issues were identified in 2019 when multiple violations were recorded relating to illegal occupancy and transient use. These violations included failure to maintain proper means of egress, absence of required sprinkler systems and fire alarms, over-occupied floor area, and unauthorized construction work on the third floor.

Each of these violations was eventually dismissed by the Department of Buildings in late 2019, though not before an Environmental Control Board fine of $2,500 was imposed in 2024 for removing a posted vacate order. More recent activity in 2024-2025 includes complaints regarding illegal conversions, though these were also marked as unable to gain access for inspection. While the building passed a rodent inspection in 2015, the consistent pattern of maintenance and safety complaints over the past several years raises notable concerns about building upkeep and safety compliance.