281 South 5th Street

281 South 5th Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has 13 open HPD violations, and no rent-stabilized units are on its tax bill, as of Oct 26, 2026. StreetSpy grade: D (57/100).

Multi-family walk-up · 4 units · Built 1910

StreetSpy grade: D (Poor, 57/100)

• 13 open housing violations, none in the most serious class.
• No housing complaints to 311 in the last 12 months.
• The owner's bedbug filings report no infested units in the last 3 years.
• No rent-stabilized units on the tax bill. Increases aren't capped by stabilization, though Good Cause Eviction may still limit them.

More open violations per unit than 7 in 10 Brooklyn buildings this size.

• Repairs: High (13 open), records as of Oct 26, 2026
• Heat and hot water: No complaints, 12 mo, records as of Oct 25, 2026
• Pests: Clear (Owner reported none, 3 yr), records as of Oct 28, 2026
• Safety: Medium (1 open DOB violation), records as of Oct 26, 2026
• Registration: Renewal not yet in city data, records as of Oct 3, 2026

How the grade works

Housing code violations (HPD)

13 open violations: 0 class C (immediately hazardous), 13 class B, 0 class A. 1 issued in the last 12 months. 20 on record. Oldest open violation issued 2009-08-04. Newest violation issued 2026-05-05.

0 closed in the last 90 days. Median 8 days from issue to close for the 1 violations closed in the last 12 months.

• Class B: Lighting defect (entrance). PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING AT OR NEAR THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT ENTRANCEWAY OF THE BUILDING AND KEEP SAME BURNING FROM SUNSET EVERY DAY TO SUNRISE ON THE DAY FOLLOWING 100 WATTS MINIMUM REQUIRED (LIGHT FIXTURES PRESENT), issued 2013-05-14. HPD violation 9834867
• Class B: Missing or broken smoke / CO detector. SECTION 27-2045, 2046 ADM CODE PROVIDE AN APPROVED AND OPERATIONAL SMOKE DETECTING DEVICE, INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS RULES AND REGULATIONS MISSING 2 STY NORTHEAST ROOM 4 ., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2153015
• Class B: Missing or broken smoke / CO detector. SECTION 27-2045, 2046 ADM CODE PROVIDE AN APPROVED AND OPERATIONAL SMOKE DETECTING DEVICE, INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS RULES AND REGULATIONS MISSING 4 STY SOUTHEAST ROOMING UNIT 12., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2153018
• Class B: Missing or broken smoke / CO detector. REPAIR OR REPLACE THE SMOKE DETECTOR DEFECTIVE 3 STY NORTH ROOMING UNIT 18 MARKOWITZ., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2073592
• Class B: Door, lock or intercom defect (entrance). & 309 M/D LAW ABATE THE NUISANCE CONSISTING OF METAL EYES INSTALLED FRAME & DOOR ENTRANCE TO ROOMING UNIT 7 EAST., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2073602
• Class B: Missing or broken smoke / CO detector. REPAIR OR REPLACE THE SMOKE DETECTOR DEFECTIVE 3 STY NORTHEAST ROOMING UNIT 8., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2073606
• Class B: Leak or water damage (hallway). REPAIR THE LEAKY AND/OR DEFECTIVE FAUCETS WASHBASINS 2 AND 3 STYS PUBLIC HALL BATHROOMS., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2073615
• Class B: Damaged plaster or paint. REPAIR THE BROKEN OR DEFECTIVE PLASTERED SURFACES AND PAINT IN A UNIFORM COLOR WALLS AND CEILINGS 3 STY NORTHEAST ROOMING UNIT 8., issued 2009-08-04. HPD violation 2073610

311 housing complaints

0 in the last 12 months, 6 in 5 years.

Bedbugs

The owner reported 0 infested units in the last 3 years of filings. HPD's bedbug filings are self-reported by the owner once a year; HPD does not inspect to confirm them.

• 2026: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2025: Owner reported 0 infested units
• 2024: Owner reported 0 infested units
• 2023: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2022: No bedbug filing on record for this year
• 2021: Owner reported 0 infested units

Buildings department (DOB)

1 open DOB violation, a Local Law violation issued before 2000. 3 DOB violations on record. Check on DOB BIS.

Evictions and housing court

0 executed evictions in the last 3 years (0 on record). 0 open HPD cases; 0 harassment findings.

Rent stabilization

No rent-stabilized units on the tax bill.

Owner and management

Owner: 281 SO. REALTY CORP.. Head officer: ABRAHAM KOHN. Managing agent: 281 SOUTH REALTY CORP.. See the full portfolio.

Last HPD registration Jul 23, 2025. Registration on file through Sep 1, 2026; renewal not yet in the city's data.

Tax lot and city IDs

BBL 3024470025, HPD building ID 372399. HPD Online, ACRIS, DOB BIS.

Nearest subway

• Marcy Av (M, J, Z), 1 min walk
• Hewes St (M, J), 6 min walk
• Metropolitan Av (G), 8 min walk

How the grade is calculated

Sources: NYC HPD Housing Maintenance Code Violations, NYC 311 Service Requests, NYC HPD Bedbug Reporting, NYC Marshal Evictions (DOI), NYC HPD Housing Litigations, NYC DOB Violations, NYC DOF tax bills (via JustFix Who Owns What portfolio API, v2), NYC HPD Property Registration. Methodology. Report generated 2026-10-28.