Bed Bud Findings To Crawl Out From Under

A rapidly advancing army of blood-sucking bed bugs is about to meet a new nemesis: New York City government.

At City Hall on Wednesday, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Council Member Gale Brewer and Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs are expected to announce the findings of a bed bug task force -- a body formed in the wake of the escalating epidemic.

Complaints to the city's 311 line have been off the hook over the past few years as people from more and more neighborhoods have called to complain about the hard-to-kill critters. 

Remedies -- from bug sniffing dogs to high-heat dryers to cold sprays -- can be expensive. But the Bed Bug Advisory Board findings are expected to include broader measures, like asking the courts to prioritize housing cases involving bed bugs, and educating landlords about their responsibilities.

Ray Lopez, who teaches a class on bed bugs in East Harlem at the Little Sisters Academy, said: "It can be overwhelming." Lopez recommends a budget-based approach of reducing the bed bug infestation so it's manageable enough to sleep at night.

Check out News 4 New York tonight at 11 on how to fight bed bugs without breaking the bank.

Contact Us