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 hotels, SROs, day care centers, subways, and schools.

The New York City Bed Bug Advisory report was released on July 28, 2010. You can download it here: New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board Report (April 2010) (PDF).

At NYvsBB

This is our February 2009 report on the problem of bed bugs in the city and our analysis of the available statistics:

• Bed Bugs in New York City: A Citizen’s Guide to the Problem (PDF)
• See also the FY 2009 update of HPD statistics (PDF)
• and a partial NYC bed bug statistics FY 2010 update (PDF) with new 311 data

While multiple agencies hold bed bug data, no one is minding the big picture. For Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) residential rental statistics in particular, the existing adversarial complaint system will necessarily reflect not the overall number of infestations but the most bed bug-negligent landlords and the most poorly-maintained buildings.

• Frequently asked questions
• The last update on the NYC bed bug advisory board
• Why are infestations spreading? (PDF) – a logic tree of the underlying problems
• Policies and strategies in other cities, bed bug guidelines and best practices, and help and self-help resources for landlord/tenant issues in NYC
• A discussion of the relevant New York State and New York City laws — note: written in July 2009, it does not discuss the recently passed landlord and schools bed bug disclosure/notification bills: see S8130/A10356B and A5434/S4472 (both of which were signed into law on August 31, 2010)

Click here to see the NYC-specific posts from the blog — for example:

• Notes on Lou Sorkin’s bed bug seminar — featured speakers included a lawyer, a tenant advocate and a tenant
• The recent NYC community health survey question
• The FY 2010 stats update and sources
• Discarded mattresses as an illustration of the complexity of bed bug problems in the city

Maps and databases

For citizen reports of bed bugs in New York City apartments and hotels, see The Bedbug Registry’s New York City map. You can also search online reviews in travel sites for bed bug complaints at the hotels you are considering, but nothing can guarantee a bed bug-free location in any city large or small. Better to learn how to inspect and how to avoid taking them home if you encounter them.

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’s bed bug education online course and community classes

HPD has a 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 or on this education program page — now sporting streamlined registration (you only need to supply your name and email address). It’s rather fun:

HPD also offers an in-person bed bug course at their offices in lower Manhattan, a free class one evening per week (on designated Wednesdays) from 6:00-9:00 pm at 100 Gold Street, NYC 10038. Register online or call 212-863-8830.

And they can arrange to send an instructor to teach a bed bug course at the offices of a not-for-profit community group or a tenants group. Contact Pam Glaser, Director of Public Outreach and Education, at 212-863-6721.

NYC Department of Health healthy homes bed bug guide

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), Chinese (PDF), and Russian (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.)