It’s All Or None When It Comes To Bed Bugs

There has been a raging bed bug battle happening in Albany, New York…not among lawmakers mind you!

Residents of the Stonequist Apartments in Albany, New York have been complaining about the bed bugs that have infiltrated the building since July of 2011.  The apartment building is owned by the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority.  The bed bug issues finally caught the attention of lawmakers in January of 2012 when the residents were allowed to voice their concerns for the Mayor directly.  Housing Authority officials then had to answer questions at a public workshop at City Hall for City Council members.  According to The Saratogian’s report on January 31, 2012, the Housing Authority representatives claimed that the residents claims “of ‘infestation’ were overblown and isolated cases were being handled.”  The residents who have been living with the bloodsuckers were not in agreement in the slightest.

In the weeks since this issue has surfaced, it has come to light that the Director of the Housing Authority terminated the previous ongoing contract with the licensed pest control company.  Residents say that bed bugs are not the only pest control problem at the Stonequist Apartments now and they say that they never had any trouble with vermin in the past.  Mudslinging aside, the bed bugs that exist in the Stonequist Apartments must be killed in order for the residents to live comfortably once again.

After much debate back and forth, a pest control professional was finally hired to handle the bed bug inspection and eradication.  The Saratogian reported on February 15, 2012 that 43 apartment units have been found to be infested with bed bugs!  That is a far-cry from the previous claims of 2 or 3 units that the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority has stated.

Of the 43 units however, two residents have refused to have their units receive the bed bug treatment.  This is a huge problem for every resident within the building.  When bed bugs are present, failure to treat any unit will result in the eventual re-infestation of the entire building.  Without treatment bed bugs will continue to multiply and will travel through the walls infesting the complex, unit by unit until the building is in the same condition that it has been in for the past few months.  It is critical that steps be taken to eradicate all bed bugs immediately or the entire eradication process will be in vain.