109-19 109th Street, Queens, NY 11420

The two-family house at 109-19 109th Street in Richmond Hill, owned by Casey Sanpal, has experienced several significant issues over the past few years, with the most pressing concerns centering around safety compliance and unauthorized modifications. Most recently, in September 2023, the building received complaints regarding unsanitary garbage/recycling storage conditions, though no violations were ultimately issued. A concerning pattern of complaints emerged in 2018 regarding safety devices in apartment F, with open violations for defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, though the current status of these violations cannot be readily determined from available data.

The building has a history of multiple complaints between 2021-2025 suggesting potential illegal conversion activity, with several complaints related to unauthorized Single Room Occupancy (SRO) conditions and construction beyond approved plans. Notably, in March 2022, two environmental control board violations were documented, one remaining active as of 2025 for creating an SRO with cooking equipment that contravenes building codes, along with an associated fine for failure to maintain the building in a code-compliant manner. The property has also experienced various maintenance issues requiring attention, including a refrigerator complaint in July 2023 and more alarming, a hot water system problem in January 2018 that affected apartment 2 on the second story.

Despite numerous inspections and complaints, many recent complaints (2023-2025) have shown "Inspector Unable To Gain Access" as a primary inspection outcome, suggesting potential non-cooperation with regulatory access requirements. Historical environmental violations from 2020 and 2022 indicated problems with door hardware and unauthorized construction of a wooden canopy, though these issues were subsequently resolved. While some issues have been addressed through inspections and fines, the pattern of complaints regarding safety devices, illegal conversions, and maintenance matters suggests ongoing challenges with building compliance and resident safety requirements.