Revision of Director’s Rules and Regulations for the Prevention and Control of Bed Bugs May 15, 2012 1
Bed Bugs: Recent History Have accompanied human civilization for centuries Endemic and prevalent in Asia, Africa & Eastern Europe Reported in all 50 US states Represent a violation of California housing habitability standards and local public nuisance codes Resurgence in urban areas potentially linked to changes in pest control practices, mobility, etc. Growth in demand for pest control services High level of public and media interest 2
2010 Code Enforcement 3
Health Impacts of Bed Bugs Allergic reaction to bites Skin infection from bites Sleeplessness Anxiety Depression Feeling of helplessness / Lack of control Barriers to social interactions 4
Bed Bug Bites/Welt 5
Problem Solving Approach Prevention strategies and public awareness Clear regulatory Resources for those expectations most affected by with bed bugs effective enforcement with least resources 6
Improving Public Awareness http://www.sfdph.org/dph/EH/Housing/BedBugs.asp 7
DPH Regulatory Milestones Enforcement of public nuisance standards in response to complaints; routine inspections of limited shelters and SROs 2003: Developed Bed bug Management Protocol for all Shelter Directors 2006: Issued first Director’s Rules and Regulations for Bed Bug Control 2010: Bedbugs explicitly named as a health nuisance 2011: Began stakeholder process for updating rules and regulations 8
Internal Review of Regulation Review of regulatory practices in other cities Review of pest control industry best management practices Review of DPH enforcement case records Input of experienced inspectors/ managers City Attorney review Draft revised rules and regulations for public hearing (March 2012) 9
Outreach Process Stakeholder workshops (PCOs, tenants, landlords, apartment and hotel managers) Presentations of proposed revision to: Bed Bug Working Group SRO Task Force Professional Property Management Association Public Hearing on proposed revision Spoken comments (47) Written comments (14) Health Commission meets re. final revision 10
Substantive Changes Prevention steps further defined: training, written plan, monitoring, encasements, educational info provided to tenants DPH templates and resources provided, e.g. Complaint Response Log Inspection and treatment explicitly limited to licensed PCOs PCOs held accountable to best practices or subject to NOV Complaint closure six week monitoring defined 11
Outcomes of Outreach Process Expertise from multiple perspectives Stakeholder engagement; new partners for bed bug control New focus on the need to ensure PCO best practices 12
Community Resource Requests Significant investment in public, tenant and manager education. Greater code enforcement resources, particularly proactive inspection of all SRO units, not just master lease or family-occupied. More resources for the reasonable accommodation (e.g., laundry subsidy needs and anti-cluttering help for the incapacitated and low- income population most affected by bed bugs). 13
Next Steps Department adopts revisions Community education and awareness Stakeholder-specific training workshops Enhanced website and educational resources (e.g. video, online tutorial) 1: 1 support for monitoring and control plans in higher risk environments Consider additional resources for education and resources for proactive unit-by-unit inspections in all SROs 14
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