Brownsville
Historic but under-served neighborhood with the highest NYCHA density in Brooklyn and significant community-led revitalisation efforts.
Brownsville Building Violation Profile
Measured from HPD violations and 311 complaints filed in the 12 months to September 2026, matched to this area's buildings. Use it to set expectations before you sign or hire.
Rodent complaints ran 5.8 per 1,000 apartments, below the citywide 8.8.
Heat and hot water complaints in Brownsville ran 137.9 per 1,000 apartments over that year, close to the citywide 125.7.
The median Brownsville apartment building went up in 1930, 27.2% of apartments sit in buildings from before 1940 (citywide 45.8%), and 36% are in buildings of five floors or fewer (citywide 37.1%).
Most common HPD issues in Brownsville
HPD issued 33.7 violations per 100 apartments in Brownsville over the 12 months to September 2026, above the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 10.5 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 24.5% of buildings recorded none.
Area figures describe 1,045 buildings holding 21,153 apartments, so check the specific address before you sign: one building's record can sit far from its neighborhood's average.
What the Records Show in Brownsville
Buildings in Brownsville averaged 33.7 HPD violations per 100 apartments over the 12 months to September 2026, above the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 10.5 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 24.5% of buildings recorded none at all.
| Measure | Brownsville | Citywide |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 1,045 | 172,071 |
| Apartments | 21,153 | 2,846,490 |
| HPD violations per 100 apartments | 33.7 | 30.1 |
| Class C (immediately hazardous) per 100 | 10.5 | 9.2 |
| Buildings with no violations | 24.5% | 45.3% |
| Apartments in pre-1940 buildings | 27.2% | 45.8% |
| Apartments in buildings of 5 floors or fewer | 36% | 37.1% |
| Median year built | 1930 | n/a |
Figures cover buildings with three or more apartments in Brownsville, using HPD violations inspected in the 12 months to September 2026 and city lot records. Citywide figures use the same method. Search a specific address for that building’s own record.
Services in Brownsville
Each service page is tailored to Brownsville’s building stock and common violation patterns.
Violation-Linked Repairs
For when Brownsville buildings already have open violations
Pre-Lease & Investigation
Audit a Brownsville building before you commit
Move-In Essentials
For after you’ve checked the building
Building Stock & Character
NYCHA towers (highest density in NYC), some pre-war housing, new affordable development
NYCHA-dominant, tight-knit community, affordable, undergoing slow transformation
2/3 (Sutter, Rockaway, Junius), L (Livonia)
Highest crime rates in Brooklyn, NYCHA maintenance failures, limited retail