Landlords who don't wipe out bedbugs!

To stop bloodthirsty insects from spreading through the city's rental housing, Concord is cracking down on landlords who let the bedbugs bite.

Under a six-month pilot program -- the first of its kind in Contra Costa County -- property owners who ignore bedbug infestations could face steep fines. The program treats bedbugs as a public nuisance and gives the Concord Police code enforcement unit the authority to oversee tenant complaints.

Once a resident files a bedbug complaint, a code enforcement officer will mail a notice to the property owners, giving them up to 30 days to hire a pest management company to inspect and exterminate the rental unit.

If the owner doesn't respond to the letter within 10 days, code enforcement will arrange for an employee from the county environmental health division to inspect the apartment.

The city will notify the owner if bedbugs are present and levy fines starting at $100 and increasing to $500 for each citation and a re-inspection fee until the landlord eradicates the insects.

"The program is really oriented to support and provide resources to tenants and property owners alike, so that they can work through this problem themselves without the involvement of the city and without enforcement action," said Concord police Sgt. Russ Norris, code enforcement supervisor. "It's only when things fail that we'll get involved."

Concord will pay $174 per hour for the county health inspector. The city will evaluate the cost and effectiveness of the program at the end of six months.

Bedbugs -- tiny, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed on human blood and usually bite at night -- have returned with a vengeance to Contra Costa County, with reports coming from Pittsburg, Antioch and Richmond as well.

Bedbugs live in upholstered furniture, mattresses and bedding as well as along baseboards and in cracks and crevices. Although the insects don't carry disease, their bites can cause itchy, red welts. Experts say bedbugs are difficult to get rid of because pesticides don't really work and the insects move easily between apartments.

Concord consulted with the county, a tenants' advocacy group and the California Apartment Association to develop the program.

Tenants Together, a statewide renters' rights organization, has been working with residents of several apartment buildings in the Monument Corridor that the group says are infested with bedbugs. For the past year, the group has been urging Concord to cite landlords who fail to address the problem.

"This policy is a great first step. We're really encouraged. We want to see it implemented right away," said Guillermo Elenes of Tenants Together. "We are expecting to see inspections in a timely matter after reports occur. We are expecting to see an immediate notice of violation."

Theresa Karr, executive director of the California Apartment Association Contra Costa/Napa/Solano Division, praised Concord for developing the program but expressed concern about the timeline.

"I can tell you, they can't get rid of them in 30 days," she said. "The impossibility here is not just for landlords but for tenants also. How do you get everything out of your unit if you really have an infestation? How do you get it all out of there so the unit can be treated?"

But Norris said the city is willing to be flexible as long as property owners demonstrate they are taking steps to get rid of the bedbugs.

"If we get a call from a property owner then we will work with them," he said.

Shared Via: http://www.contracostatimes.com/contra-costa-times/ci_25443916/concord-fine-landlords-who-dont-wipe-out-bedbugs

Life Cycle of Bed Bugs

Bed bugs have five immature nymph life stages and a final sexually mature adult stage. They shed their skins through ecdysis at each stage, discarding their outer shells, which are clear, empty exoskeletons of the bugs themselves. Bed bugs must molt six times before becoming fertile adults, and must take a blood meal in order to complete each moult.
Each of the immature stages lasts approximately a week, depending on temperature and the availability of food, and the complete life cycle can be completed in as little as two months (rather long compared to other ectoparasites). Fertilized females with enough food will lay three to four eggs each day continually until the end of their life spans (about nine months under warm conditions), possibly generating as many as 500 eggs in this time. Genetic analysis has shown that a single pregnant bed bug, possibly a single survivor of eradication, can be responsible for an entire infestation over a matter of weeks, rapidly producing generations of offspring. Need a Bed Bug Exterminator? Contact Us BugEvictors.com

Bed Bugs in Jacksonville Florida

Good night.  Sleep tight.  Don’t let the bed bugs bite!  I remember my parents saying this when I was a small child just before tucking me into bed at night.  But I really never knew what that meant.  After all, I had never even seen a bed bug!

Well, it’s amazing how things can change over the years.  To say I haven’t seen a bed bug now would be quite an understatement, as I have seen thousands within the last five years or so.  The bottom line is:  They are here now and will be for quite a while, from what the experts tell us.  So with that said, where does that leave us?  What can we do to keep from getting them in our homes?

First of all, no one is immune.  It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, what gender or ethnic background.  Any one of us can get them!  And, by the way, in case you didn’t already know, they are epidemic throughout the United States right now.  This is a wakeup call for all of us to be cautious and aware, and to be proactive in the way we now think about these disgusting blood-sucking parasites.

Bed bugs can be found just about anywhere today – in clothing stores, hotels, motels, theaters, restaurants, mass transit, homes, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.  Visual Inspections are critical in determining whether or not you have bed bugs because they are experts at hiding and are very hard to see.  Newly emerged nymphs are a clear cream color approximately one millimeter in length and can hide almost anywhere within a room and in your clothing.  Check all belongings to make sure you don’t bring any bed bug hitchhikers back to your home.  If you suspect you have any in your clothing, 20 minutes in a hot dryer will usually eliminate them.

At home, start with inspecting the bed, the head area first, then the mattress, box springs and headboard.  Look for live bugs and smear marks, red or black in color.  Include inspecting furniture like recliners, couches, sofas, chairs, and even tables.  Use a bright flashlight and a magnifying glass.  If you confirm or even suspect you have a bed bug problem, it’s a good idea to call a professional pest control company to inspect and, if necessary, treat your home.  I have seen many cases where homeowners, with the best of intentions, attempt treating their own homes, only to make the problem worse by spreading the bed bugs throughout the entire home and wasting money on chemical products that usually don’t work.

If you would like additional information concerning bed bugs and treatments or wish to schedule an inspection, for Bed Bugs, Fleas, Roaches and Termites Control please visit us at www.bugevictors.com or call us at 904-783-2425.