46-06 Smart Street, Queens, NY 11355

The 24-unit, 4-story building at 46-06 Smart Street in Flushing, owned by Benjamin Wai, has experienced ongoing heat and hot water issues over the past two years, marking a concerning pattern of building-wide system failures. Between October 2023 and January 2025, there have been nine recorded incidents of inadequate heat or hot water service, with multiple complaints requiring emergency response from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Most recently, in January 2025, there were three complaints about heat and hot water problems, with one of these issues resulting in a Housing Maintenance Code violation.

The building has also been cited for several safety concerns, particularly in Apartment 2D, including inadequate hot water supply, rodent infestation, and defective safety devices (carbon monoxide and smoke detectors) as of October 2023. Additional open violations from 2023-2024 concern building management responsibilities, such as posting required notices about heating systems and gas leak procedures, though the building failed to address multiple Housing Maintenance Code violations from 2020-2021 relating to facade maintenance. Historical complaints filed with the Department of Buildings indicate previous concerns about building conditions, including reports of shaking/vibration issues in 2020 and potential illegal conversions in 2018, though these were resolved with no violations found.

Notably, the building has maintained a clean record for bedbugs over the past five years, with no reported infestations between 2019-2024. Rodent inspections have shown generally favorable results, with the most recent inspections passing in 2018 and 2009, though there was one failure noted in 2016. The building's recent history suggests persistent maintenance challenges, particularly regarding hot water systems and compliance with safety requirements. While the property has maintained a zero-tolerance policy for bedbugs and demonstrated generally compliant rodent management, the frequency of heating system complaints and associated violations points to an ongoing infrastructure maintenance concern affecting resident comfort and safety.