Ensuring the responsibility of ridding a bedbug infestation does not fall solely on tenants in multiple dwellings, Assembly members Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex), Shavonda Sumter (D-Bergen, Passaic) and Nancy Pinkin (D-Middlesex) sponsored legislation (A-1271) that would require owners of multiple dwellings to maintain a safe and clean living environment free of the presence of bedbugs.
The Assembly members issued the following joint statement:
“Once thought to be practically eradicated in the U.S., we’ve seen a resurgence of bedbug infestations in recent years. It is a prevalent problem in multiple dwelling housing. Tenants usually bear the burden of remediation, which can cost hundreds of dollars for extermination.
“For those who are living on a tight budget, this is an unexpected burden on their finances. Not taking action immediately can be a public health risk for other families in the complex. By ensuring that landlords are involved and take responsibility for eradications, we help stop the infestations from spreading. We should also do more to educate tenants about bedbug prevention. The bill also requires DHSS to publish and distribute information to keep families healthy and safe.”