by Brianna Crandall — January 16, 2015—Owners and managers of multifamily residential facilities may find valuable a new on-demand Webinar, also available in DVD or transcript format, that was recently launched to address the strict requirements that the U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) has laid down for controlling bed bug infestations.
Business-enhancing information and training source AudioSolutionz hosted the Webinar titled “What does HUD Say About Bed Bugs?” on December 17, 2014. The company reports the Webinar shattered all previous records, with more than 500 participants across the United States (300 live attendees and 200+ DVDs and transcripts), indicating that housing owners and HUD-insured or assisted housing staff understand the significance of complying with these regulations.
Webinar speaker Debbie Hixon, an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in the affordable housing industry who travels throughout the country to train people on various HUD topics, noted that HUD has released two notices and much written information on this issue, thus the response “was overwhelming but not unexpected.”
For the Webinar, Hixon spoke at length about the problem of bed bugs and HUD’s take on the problem. She provided guidance to attendees on the rights and responsibilities of owners, management agents, HUD and tenants on the topic. Hixon explained that in accordance with project Regulatory Agreements and Section 8 HAP Contracts, a housing area must have NO evidence of infestation, and HUD will monitor owners and management agents (O/As) to ensure this is a reality.
“What does HUD Say About Bed Bugs?” provides much-needed guidance to owners, management agents, housing staff and residents of HUD multifamily insured and assisted properties to remind all parties of the importance of prevention, identification, and treatment of infestations in HUD-assisted and HUD-insured rental housing. It covers topics such as having an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM); staff training; responding to inspection findings; bed bug prevention and removal; bed bug control in multifamily housing; effective methods for control and more.
As AudioSolutionz reminds with a quote, “The best-case scenario for dealing with bed bugs effectively and efficiently is when a resident reports an infestation early and management acts promptly”—Allison Taisey and Tom Neltner. The session is still available on-demand, and in DVDs and transcripts.
