Resources for Residents of Multi-Family Housing

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Additional Tips for Residents of Multi-Family Housing
Pest Management Roles for Residents
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Additional Tips for Residents of Multi-Family Housing

If you live in an apartment, a condominium, or any kind of unit in multi-family housing, there are special measures that you should consider taking to prevent or solve pest problems. For an approach that is suitable for your home, please read the general tips and "Do's and Don'ts", and consider the following:

To keep pest numbers down, each resident needs to do his or her part, keeping individual apartments clean to discourage pests throughout the building.

Housing managers bear significant responsibility for keeping pests out of properties through inspection and maintenance. If you see pests in your home, let your housing manager know right away so that they can respond appropriately. They may have to look in your apartment and neighboring apartments to find the problem, but a long-lasting solution will probably be worth this inconvenience.

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Pest Management Roles for Residents

Controlling pests in multi-family housing requires cooperation between residents, housing managers, housing staff, and pest management professionals (PMP).

The resident's role encompasses these responsibilities:

Prepare your unit for visits from the PMP or exterminator
Follow your lease regarding:
- Housekeeping
- Sanitation
- Trash removal and storage
Report the presence of pests, leaks and mold
Monitor common areas for problems
Help neighbors with these tasks
Learn about the roles of housing managers, staff, and the PMP.

The results of this team approach:

An inspection and monitoring system that finds pests
A reporting system that identifies areas of improvement
Units that are prepared to get a least-toxic treatment
Communication that empowers all
Fewer pests and a healthier environment

More information for dealing with pests in multi-family housing:

The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) has a Web page on integrated pest management in affordable housing . One NCHH Web page in particular offers several sources of understandable and easy-to-use information for residents in multi-family housing.