Thought to be a pest of the past after DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) all but wiped them out after World War II, bed bugs are back ... with a vengeance.
In 2009, New York City's 311-hotline recorded over 11,000 bed bug calls, up from a mere 2 complaints in 2002, and 16 in 2003.
These creepy creatures are infesting the city indiscriminately. You'll find them almost everywhere--movie theaters, office towers, clothing stores, and swanky hotels.
There are a few theories about this resurgence. Some blame the affordability of international travel and the increase in immigration from developing countries, while others point to the environmental-protection movement's crusade, which led to the ban of bedbug eradicating pesticides like DDT. Whatever theory you choose, these critters have certainly caught our attention.
Just a few months ago, New York State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal spearheaded the passage of the Bed Bug Disclosure Act , which requires all New York City landlords to inform prospective tenants, in writing, whether an apartment, or a residential building, has had a bed bug "infestation" within the last year. While it's certainly a good start, the legislation's got plenty of holes and leaves quite a few issues unaddressed.
Notably, the new law only applies to new or prospective tenants; current tenants needn't be told that their neighbor, or the building, has a problem. It's also unclear whether the law applies to cooperatives or condominiums.
While tenants can check for bed bug sightings with online services such as www.bedbugregistry.com or with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation Development, because of the stigma these little pests pose, many cases are going unreported or uninvestigated--leaving public records incomplete.
So, until the dust settles, tread cautiously!
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The pertinent text follows:
ยง 27-2018.1 Notice of bedbug infestation history. a. For housing
accommodations subject to this code, an owner shall furnish to each
tenant signing a vacancy lease, a notice in a form promulgated or
approved by the state division of housing and community renewal that
sets forth the property's bedbug infestation history for the previous
year regarding the premises rented by the tenant and the building in
which the premises are located.
b. Upon written complaint, in a form promulgated or approved by the
division of housing and community renewal, by the tenant that he or she
was not furnished with a copy of the notice required pursuant to
subdivision a of this section, the division of housing and community
renewal shall order the owner to furnish the notice.