Bed Bugs in New York City

If you have a bed bug problem, you should first report it to your landlord or property manager. If they do not assist you, you can call 311 to file a complaint. You can also call 311 to report bed bugs in non-residential locations such as hotels and subways.

• This is our report on the problem of bed bugs in our city and our analysis of the available statistics: Bed Bugs in New York City: A Citizen’s Guide to the Problem (PDF) — see also this FY 2009 update of HPD statistics (PDF).
• Please see our resources page for examples of policies and strategies in other cities, recommended bed bug management guidelines, and help and self-help resources on landlord/tenant issues in NYC.
• You may also find useful our general discussion of the relevant New York State and New York City laws.
• See also the NYC posts from the blog — like this one about Lou Sorkin’s recent bed bug seminar: featured speakers included a lawyer, a tenant advocate and a tenant.
• For citizen reports of bed bugs in New York City apartments and hotels, see The Bedbug Registry’s New York City map.
• For bed bug violations recorded by the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), use this tool to enter a building’s address and find the history of code violations. Remember that a building may have bed bug infestations and not have bed bug violations. Violations are triggered by tenant complaints to 311 which are in turn handled by HPD.
• HPD has a new free interactive online course about bed bug management. You access the course registration via the orange link on the top right corner of HPD’s home page. Please contact us if you have difficulty accessing the course and would like to see it.
• The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has published a bed bug guide (PDF) that is also available for download in Spanish (PDF) and Chinese (PDF).  Call 311 to request a free copy of the English-language printed booklet. You can use this basic and easy-to-follow guide to spread awareness about bed bugs and to educate neighbors, landlords and friends who are new to the problem. (Check our resources page for more bed bug management guides.)

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