Kensington, Brooklyn: building violations, landlords and rent stabilization

Kensington, Brooklyn, has 907 graded residential buildings with 3 or more units, as of Oct 26, 2026. By grade: 384 A, 84 B, 200 C, 130 D and 109 F. The median building has 5 open HPD violations per 10 units, against 3.3 across Brooklyn. 4,925 of its 14,410 residential units (34%) are rent-stabilized on the latest Department of Finance tax bills on file. The most common housing complaints to 311 in the last 12 months were heat and hot water (1,662), unsanitary condition (563), and plumbing (264).

Kensington by the numbers

2,828 residential buildings (14,410 units) on record. 15,071 open HPD violations (2,887 class C, immediately hazardous). 3,062 housing complaints to 311 in the last 12 months, 92 executed evictions in 3 years, 118 reported bedbug infestations in 3 years. 165 buildings have rent-stabilized units on their tax bills.

Worst five in Kensington

Most open HPD violations per 10 units. Graded rental buildings with 6 or more units; co-ops, condos and NYCHA are left out. Only buildings with an HPD violation issued in the last 24 months or a 311 housing complaint in the last 12 are listed.

  1. 140 Clara Street: 491.7 open violations per 10 units (295 open, 6 units), grade F, owner: Individual owner
  2. 280 East 2nd Street: 208.3 open violations per 10 units (125 open, 6 units), grade F
  3. 545 Mcdonald Avenue: 168.3 open violations per 10 units (101 open, 6 units), grade F, owner: CHITTAGONG ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA, INC
  4. 803 Beverley Road: 156.3 open violations per 10 units (125 open, 8 units), grade F, owner: BEVERLY ST ASSOCAITES LLC
  5. 537 Mcdonald Avenue: 138.3 open violations per 10 units (83 open, 6 units), grade F

Best five in Kensington

Fewest open HPD violations per 10 units, then highest score and most units. The same rule as the worst five, recently active buildings only. Best buildings citywide.

  1. 288 East 2nd Street: 0 open violations per 10 units (0 open, 6 units), grade A, owner: Individual owner
  2. 515 Mcdonald Avenue: 0 open violations per 10 units (0 open, 6 units), grade A, owner: Nassa realty LLC
  3. 411 Cortelyou Road: 0 open violations per 10 units (0 open, 6 units), grade A, owner: 411 CORTELYOU ROAD, LLC
  4. 571 Ocean Parkway: 0 open violations per 10 units (0 open, 29 units), grade A, owner: 571 OP LLC
  5. 497 Mcdonald Avenue: 0 open violations per 10 units (0 open, 6 units), grade A, owner: MCDONALD497 LLC

Largest landlords in Kensington

By units in Kensington, among portfolios of 3 or more buildings and 50 or more units citywide. Names are as filed on HPD registrations. How totals are counted. Report an error.

  1. LAWRENCE BERNSTEIN (head officer on HPD registrations): 452 units in 5 buildings
  2. JACOB WEINREB (head officer on HPD registrations): 221 units in 2 buildings
  3. SAMUEL HERTZ (head officer on HPD registrations): 206 units in 4 buildings
  4. RUBIN MARGULES (head officer on HPD registrations): 173 units in 2 buildings
  5. SAUL FRIEDMAN (head officer on HPD registrations): 153 units in 2 buildings

Nearby neighborhoods

Sources: NYC HPD housing maintenance code violations, HPD property registrations and housing litigation, 311 service requests, DOB violations, NYC Marshals evictions, and HPD bedbug filings from NYC Open Data, plus rent-stabilized unit counts from NYC Department of Finance tax bills. How grades work.