Downtown Brooklyn
Brooklyn's civic and commercial center with major transit hub and new residential towers.
Downtown Brooklyn 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 4.3 per 1,000 apartments, below the citywide 8.8.
Heat and hot water complaints in Downtown Brooklyn ran 39.9 per 1,000 apartments over that year, below the citywide 125.7.
The median Downtown Brooklyn apartment building went up in 1908, 23% of apartments sit in buildings from before 1940 (citywide 45.8%), and 14.8% are in buildings of five floors or fewer (citywide 37.1%).
Most common HPD issues in Downtown Brooklyn
HPD issued 5.5 violations per 100 apartments in Downtown Brooklyn over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 1.1 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 47.6% of buildings recorded none.
Area figures describe 765 buildings holding 27,289 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 Downtown Brooklyn
Buildings in Downtown Brooklyn averaged 5.5 HPD violations per 100 apartments over the 12 months to September 2026, below the citywide 30.1. Immediately hazardous Class C conditions ran 1.1 per 100 apartments against 9.2 citywide, and 47.6% of buildings recorded none at all.
| Measure | Downtown Brooklyn | Citywide |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment buildings | 765 | 172,071 |
| Apartments | 27,289 | 2,846,490 |
| HPD violations per 100 apartments | 5.5 | 30.1 |
| Class C (immediately hazardous) per 100 | 1.1 | 9.2 |
| Buildings with no violations | 47.6% | 45.3% |
| Apartments in pre-1940 buildings | 23% | 45.8% |
| Apartments in buildings of 5 floors or fewer | 14.8% | 37.1% |
| Median year built | 1908 | n/a |
Figures cover buildings with three or more apartments in Downtown Brooklyn-DUMBO-Boerum Hill, 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.
Building Grades in Downtown Brooklyn
765 apartment buildings in Downtown Brooklyn were scored on October 8, 2026. 11.1% graded D or F, below the citywide 19.8%, and 73.1% graded A against 65.8% citywide. The average score was 87.7 out of 100.
Lowest-Scoring Buildings in Downtown Brooklyn
| # | Building | Grade | Score | Open Class C | Open Class B | Open HPD cases | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 334 Atlantic Avenue11201 · 14 apartments · built 1900 | F | 0 | 48 | 108 | 0 | 20 heat complaints |
| 2 | 302 Atlantic Avenue11201 · 6 apartments · built 1900 | F | 0 | 16 | 37 | 0 | none |
| 3 | 483 Pacific Street11217 · 8 apartments · built 1910 | F | 0 | 10 | 22 | 1 | AEP |
| 4 | 107 Boerum Place11201 · 8 apartments · built 1920 | F | 0 | 9 | 21 | 0 | 7 heat complaints |
| 5 | 40 Wyckoff Street11201 · 25 apartments · built 1900 | F | 0 | 14 | 64 | 2 | none |
| 6 | 255 Bergen Street11217 · 32 apartments · built 1900 | F | 0 | 26 | 51 | 0 | none |
| 7 | 276 Dean Street11217 · 16 apartments · built 1900 | F | 0 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 53 heat complaints |
| 8 | 397 Atlantic Avenue11217 · 13 apartments · built 2004 | F | 0 | 8 | 17 | 0 | none |
| 9 | 57 Jay Street11201 · 23 apartments · built 1896 | F | 0 | 16 | 22 | 1 | 5 heat complaints |
| 10 | 255 Pacific Street11201 · 14 apartments · built 1930 | F | 0 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 6 heat complaints |
Rent-Stabilized Apartments in Downtown Brooklyn
146 buildings here were billed the rent-stabilization fee for 8,571 apartments on the 2024 property tax bill. Among buildings billed in both years, the count fell 3.7% from 2018 to 2024. Check whether a specific building is on the list with the rent-stabilization checker.
| Building | Stabilized units 2018 | Stabilized units 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99 Gold Street11201 | 88 | 10 | -78 |
| 33 Bond Street11201 | 338 | 295 | -43 |
| 397 Atlantic Avenue11217 | 13 | 2 | -11 |
| 375 State Street11217 | 14 | 7 | -7 |
| 384 Atlantic Avenue11217 | 12 | 5 | -7 |
Scores use the formula on the methodology page, applied to every lot with three or more apartments; the table ranks buildings with six or more. Stabilized unit counts are building totals from the DOF tax bill, compiled by nycdb, and say nothing about any individual apartment. See the most distressed buildings in the borough.
Services in Downtown Brooklyn
Each service page is tailored to Downtown Brooklyn’s building stock and common violation patterns.
Violation-Linked Repairs
For when Downtown Brooklyn buildings already have open violations
Pre-Lease & Investigation
Audit a Downtown Brooklyn building before you commit
Move-In Essentials
For after you’ve checked the building
Building Stock & Character
New luxury high-rises, converted office buildings, some older apartments
Transit hub, growing residential, shopping district, urban core
Nearly every Brooklyn subway line (2/3/4/5/A/C/F/G/N/Q/R/W)
Construction heavy, can feel sterile, less neighborhood character