The City of Chicago claimed the #1 spot on pest control company Orkin’s list of worst cities for bed bugs, released earlier this month, based on the number of bed bug treatments Orkin performed from January to December 2012.  Last year the top city was Cincinnatti which dropped to #5, and the nation’s largest city, New York, took the last spot in the top ten.  To combat this growing problem here in the Windy City, the City of Chicago’s City Council has introduced an ordinance to regulate bed bug eradication and a joint hearing between the Committees on Housing & Public Health will be held tomorrow, January 29th at 10:00 a.m. in the Chicago City Hall Council Chamber.  Sponsors of the proposal include 48th Ward Harry Osterman.

According to the website condobytes.info, a website dedicated to providing information about condo association living, some features of the proposed Chicago ordinance include:

• declares the presence of bed bugs as a “public nuisance”
• requires pest control management and that it be done by a pest control professional
• gives enforcement powers to the Commissioner of Public Health
• regulates disposal of contaminated materials and sale of used mattresses and beds
• spells out tenant responsibility in dealing with infestations.
• requires each condo and co-op to develop a plan for “detection, inspection and eradication”  of bed bugs
• requires record keeping of all reports and action
• grants access to the reports by city employees
• posting on the City of Chicago Dept. of Public Health website of a sample plan for “detection, inspection and eradication”  of bed bugs

Tags: Beg Bugs, City of Chicago, condobytes, condobytes.info, Orkin