Articles Posted in Landlord-Tenant

At one point, perhaps in our earliest years on our own, most of us lived someplace “less than perfect.” It may have had virtually non-existent water pressure, windows that didn’t open, or lingering odors from a prior tenant’s incontinent cats. There is, however, a level of living conditions that no one should have to face. It is a deplorable level of circumstances that render a unit uninhabitable and can violate both state and local laws. People facing such conditions should consult an experienced Oakland landlord-tenant lawyer for help.

Tenants Tell of Deplorable Conditions in Oakland Apartment Building

In a San Francisco Chronicle report, the tenants of the 55-unit Booker Emery building are speaking out about the terrible living conditions they claim have plagued the West Oakland apartment complex for years. A 28 year-old resident named Tiffany says the complex is infested with roaches, bedbugs, and mold and that the landlord has refused to fix these problems and others, such as leaky pipes, during her four years as a tenant. She says the mold and bacteria made her ill and that she was bitten by bedbugs and roaches at the 715 Peralta Street location located near the West Oakland BART station.

In recent years, bed bugs have become a serious public health concern. In 2011 and 2012, some of the most severe outbreaks occurred in New York City, Philadelphia and Detroit. What is most notable about these outbreaks is that they occured in unexpected placeslike the New York City office of the United Nations and the Lincoln Center . Many of the high profile locations deny accusations of bed bugs, while others acknowledge that although there are bed bugs on their premises, it does not indicate uncleanliness. Along this line of thought, the fear that bed bugs are a sign of personal untidiness complicates resolving the issue further. In fact, many people either delay their reports of bed bugs for fear it may suggest their homes are unclean. This begs the question: do bed bugs truly arise from uncleanliness?

The belief that unclean environments cause bed bug infestations is inaccurate. Bed bugs are attracted not to dirt, but rather to warm spaces, carbon dioxide, and blood. The barely macroscopic creatures (1mm-7mm) thrive in such environments, especially when there are a given space offers many hiding spaces such as those found in homes. Often, these bugs will enter the home by attaching themselves to an item of clothing while an individual is outdoors, such as in a school or theater. Once they have entered the home, it may take some time to immediately realize the presence of an infestation.

Although bed bugs feed on blood during the night, they are not shy-they can be visible during all hours of the day. One of the most visible indications of a bed bug infestation is seeing the creatures in various parts of the house as tiny, dark brown/reddish bugs along with their dark excrement in beds, sofas, and enclosed spaces round the home. In addition to seeing them, many people experience their nightly bites. However, not everyone shows signs of bed bug bites—some people will have minor to no symptoms, while others may exhibit more visible, sometimes allergic reactions. Particularly in the latter case, it is essential to seek medical attention to manage the health issues presented by the infestation. Despite their parasitic presence, and aside from the potential to cause an allergic reaction in some individuals, bed bugs do not transfer disease while they feed on their host.

Of course, the instinct of every resident has is to identify the means of removing the intruders from the home. As it happens, bed bugs removal efforts benefit greatly from an expert hand. They are resistant to many pesticides, including DDT. The treatment process can include the application of a high heat treatment, which would involve heating the area in question as high as, but not limited to 117 degrees for one hour . In some cases, using insect spray can help, although as previously mentioned, they have acquired resistance to many pesticides. This is one among other treatments used to treat bed bugs. To identify the best method of treating bed bugs in a specific situation, get in touch with a professional who handles bed bug extermination.

In 2012, San Francisco passed rigorous measures identifying bed bugs as a public health problem, and establishing guidelines for managing infestations. The guidelines require that tenants inform their landlords of a bed bug problem. Next, landlords are required to hire a pest control company to perform an inspection verifying the infestation, and proceed with an extermination procedure of the bed bugs. Six weeks following, the San Francisco Health Inspectors are then required to verify that there has been no resurgence of the infestation. In addition to actively removing an infestation, San Francisco’s measures address preemptive inspections to make sure that bed bugs are not found in residents’ units.
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There is a lot to be proud of as a resident of Northern California. In 2012, Bloomberg Business Week declared San Francisco the Best City in America, citing its top score for education as well as praise for the arts scene, the beautiful scenery, and air quality. However, San Francisco and other North California cities also made a less brag-worthy list — Terminix’s cities with the biggest increase in bedbug infestations (San Francisco is #12, Sacramento is #1). Renters have borne a substantial portion of the bedbug crisis and our San Francisco bedbug law firm helps tenants fight against landlords who ignore the problem of bedbug infestation.

Bedbugs Generally

As detailed in a Fact Sheet assembled by the California Department of Public Health, bedbugs are parasitic insects that range from 1/16 inch to ¼ inch during their ten month life span. They cannot fly so the bugs either crawl or are carried between places. Bedbugs feed on blood, including human blood, and usually feed during the night. Although they do not transmit diseases, their bites can leave behind large, itchy welts. The initial bite is usually painless, rarely waking a sleeping person, and it can take several days for the reaction (an immune response) to appear.