Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite
Can bed bugs ward off even the most courageous dwellers and tourists in New York City? According to Crain’s New York, a source of news and information regarding business in the Big Apple, some tourists have cancelled trips to New York City because of the increasing presence of bed bugs in hotels, chain stores and tourist attractions. The City’s administration is worried that this may hinder New York City’s $30 billion dollar tourism industry. Additionally, Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an entomologist working at Cornell University for over 11 years, is convinced that these seemingly harmless but annoying pests may indeed be harming victims and could possibly be causing lethal infections, however there is little data to support that hypotheses. She has been appointed to the New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board, a relatively new committee that addresses the recent resurgence in infestations. With reputations and rent rolls at stake, real estate owners and property managers are concerned about the growing number of reported cases and the effects that these pesky creatures may have on their business.
In response to the recent manifestations, New York City passed legislature requiring landlords to disclose any history of bed bug infestation before leasing an apartment unit, according to the New York Times. In addition to becoming the standard in rental contracts, this bed bug disclosure clause has made its way into condo and co-op sales contracts. “Disclosure of pest infestations makes sense from the perspective of both the lessor and lessee. There’s a demand for this information - landlords and owners must recognize this in order to attract those potential tenants,” described Jermaine Gause, PRE’12, when asked about the effectiveness of the recently enacted law.
Prospective tenants and buyers are more aware of the potential bed bug problems and have realized that these tiny pests may not only make their stay unpleasant but may affect the underlying property value. Furthermore, property managers and owners are taking preemptive measures to control the costs associated with treatment of infestations by modifying rental agreements with information similar to the following:
• Incorporating language in the rental agreement that requires the tenant to pay for all costs associated with pest control management.
• Providing tenants with a Bed Bug Certification, which acknowledges that the unit in question is free of bed bugs upon move-in and that future infestation is the responsibility of the tenant.
Landlords and owners are concerned with the detrimental effects associated with these pesky creatures, but some are reluctant to accept the severity of the situation. Mayor Bloomberg joked on David Letterman’s late-night television show, that “these bed bugs are probably tougher than New York’s notoriously tough rats.” Others, however, describe the recent media coverage and interest of these alleged infestations as a phase which will pass.
To find out more about Gangloff-Kaufmann’s work, please visit: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Sept10/NYCbedbugs.html
To find out more about bed bug policy and information in New York City, please visit: http://newyorkvsbedbugs.org/