78-20 Metropolitan Avenue, Queens, NY 11379

The two-family house at 78-20 Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village, owned by Joseph Porretto, has experienced several notable events in recent years. Most significantly, between mid-2020 and early 2021, there were multiple rodent sightings reported to the Department of Health (DOHMH), including three separate complaints in June and July 2020, with one remaining open as of June 2020.

During this same period, the Department of Buildings investigated illegal conversion allegations, resulting in two violations in September 2020 related to unauthorized construction in the cellar, including partition walls and bathroom installations, for which a $1,250 penalty was imposed. A subsequent violation in December 2020 addressed failure to certify correction of immediately hazardous conditions. On a positive note, there have been no bedbug infestations reported in any dwelling unit at this address since at least 2020, with all annual filings between 2021 and 2024 showing zero infested, eradicated, or re-infested units.

Rodent inspections conducted in 2016 showed varying results, with an initial failure for unspecified reasons followed by a successful compliance inspection in September 2016. The building's owner obtained an exterior work permit in March 2021, suggesting compliance with regulatory requirements in more recent years, and there have been no significant complaints or violations recorded since 2021. The property's recent history indicates improved conditions, particularly regarding pest control and regulatory compliance, though the multiple rodent sightings in 2020 and the unauthorized construction issues from that period remain notable concerns in its historical record.