In NYC, city rodent inspectors have been checking buildings for rats in the Bronx as apposed to just looking for them in water catchment areas. 50,000 buildings were inspected and NYC rats were lurking in 4,300 of them. Most New Yorkers are probably surprised the number wasn’t higher.
The inspectors inform the landlords they have a rat infestation. I doubt the landlords were surprised. If the NYC rat infestation problem is bad enough NYC does the extermination.
I wonder if some NYC apartment renters who are tired of living with rats because the landlord failed to eliminate them are out there recruiting rats to live in their building. Perhaps some apartment renters are offering the rodents tasty snacks and cold beverages in order to entice a large gang of the rodents into the building just before the city inspectors arrive. The goal? To get NYC officials to get rid of the rats. I don’t encourage this silly strategy.
New Yorkers are probably wondering how many landlords that have been notified about the rat problem in their building have actually hired a NYC rodent control professional to get rid of them. It would be interesting to see a report a few months from now addressing this issue.
With bed bug sightings on the rise in seemingly every big city in America, it is no wonder that new measures have been adopted to help eradicate the creepy blood suckers. Many large cities have already taken the bull by the horns and have implemented serious new laws regarding the treatment of bed bugs, disposal of infested property and guidelines for controlling infestations. Failure to comply with the guidelines in some cities will result in property owners spending time in jail or incurring a large hit to the wallet.
In New York City, landlords are responsible for paying for the extermination services of bed bugs. It does not appear that officials in New York City are taking responsibility for what is being done to get rid of the pests. The end result is that more and more reports of bed bugs are being called into the government offices.
City Council member, Gail Brewer is trying to put a stop to local bureaucratic foolery in New York City. Even though bed bugs are considered vermin, the Health Department does not handle complaints about them because bed bugs do not transmit disease. Bed bugs might not make you physically sick, but what about the mental anguish that people must endure once an infestation occurs? Imagine knowing that your blood will be sucked every night after you or your children fall asleep. Now that would make for some very tumultuous sleep. Currently, complaints are handled by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Many people believe that there is a lack of regulation because of disagreements over which city agency should handle the bed bug problem.
It is clear that New Yorker’s deserve to have better laws on the books in regards to bed bugs. It is up to the local government to make it happen. If other cities can do it, so can NYC. It would be nice if our government moved as fast as bed bugs do in making changes to the legislation. But then again, their next meal does not depend on speed and tenacity.
Gale Brewer, a NYC city council member is requesting the city create a bed bug task force to deal with the huge NYC bed bugs problem. Cities such as Boston and San Francisco already have strong regulations to deal with their bed bugs issues.
It seems the failure of New York City to have similar regulations is primarily due to a dispute regarding which city agency should be responsible for bed bug regulations. That’s ridiculous! I think bed bugs have been harassing New Yorkers for more than a few days. If San Francisco, Boston and other municipalities can select a city department to take over the regulating of bed bugs issues certainly New York City officials can join the club.
In New York City, the health department does not get involved in bed bugs cases since the critters do not transmit disease. However, NYC residents will be excited to hear that their health department has come to the rescue of New Yorkers with a bed bug fact sheet! Yes, that was dripping with sarcasm.
In San Francisco failure to comply with the bed bug rules can cost a person a $1,000 fine or five days in jail.
