1659 Cornelia Street, Queens, NY 11385

The three-story, six-unit tenement at 1659 Cornelia Street in Ridgewood, owned by Avner Skoczylas, has experienced persistent maintenance and pest issues since 2022, with the most recent complaints from 2025 highlighting problems with flooring, ceiling, sink plumbing, and rodent sightings. In April 2025 alone, multiple complaints were investigated by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and found to have violations related to floor conditions and plumbing issues, while the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) responded to rodent complaints with inspections that either found no violations or resulted in past inspections being referenced.

The building's compliance history shows a troubling pattern of rodent activity, with multiple inspections between 2022 and 2025 recording rat presence, though recent inspections in May 2025 and February 2025 passed without violations. The property has also faced various safety-related issues, particularly in 2021, when multiple violations were recorded in Apartment 2R, including problems with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire escape window latches, and evidence of pest infestations (mice and cockroaches).

Additionally, the building had some concerns with its submission of bedbug reports between 2020 and 2024, with official notices regarding the filing of annual bedbug reports in 2022-2024, though subsequent filings indicate no infested units. Recent maintenance concerns have continued to arise, with multiple complaints in 2025 regarding unsanitary conditions, mold, and various infrastructure issues, though many of these inspections resulted in no violations being found. The building's historical data shows regular rodent inspections, with varying results ranging from "Rat Activity" to "Passed" status, indicating ongoing pest management challenges.