Bed Bug Problems in Affordable Housing Averted by ATAHC

Bed Bug control and prevention in Affordable Housing has routinely failed, often a reactionary game of ‘whack a mole’ and ongoing frustrations while “putting out fires.”

That is, until ATAHC™, the only property-wide, prevention-based, sustainable program that all but eliminates bed bugs in affordable housing environments, improving the ‘Quality of Life’ for residents while reducing operational expenses for management. Over the past three years, Allergy Technologies has executed and perfected a collaborative approach to solving the scourge of bed bugs in affordable housing, learning a few things along the way in five key areas we hope will benefit your business.

Tenant Compliance

Getting residents to answer the door in this environment is a challenge — fear of eviction, embarrassment, among other reasons. Earning residents’ trust through timely performance and re-establishment of dignity and self-respect are essential to gaining entry into their homes. Educating residents that they need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, or an obstacle to overcome, is critical.

Building Management

Call the pest people. Call the pest people. Over and over. Building managers, in many cases, can’t envision a turnkey solution with an independent project manager working alongside them to coordinate, enact QA/QC and solve this problem, as opposed to using the proverbial band-aid approach. ATAHC’s success proves the point — partnership works.

Staff Cooperation

It is not uncommon for staff in this environment to avoid addressing bed bug issues for fear of bringing them home to their own families. While understandable, some education on this front will soften pushback and give building employees the knowledge and confidence that there is a proven solution and assurance that they are protected.

Pest Management Professionals

PMPs should do what PMPs do best. Control, that is, kill pests. It’s not that easy when it comes to bed bugs in affordable housing. There is no singular product that will work. It needs to be a collaborative effort with proven strategies, techniques and, yes, products to effectively control and prevent. But if not the PMP’s job, whose is it to bring this all together?

Resident Council

Bed bug control in affordable housing must be an inside job. The resident council needs to buy-in, offer insight, access and advocate for the program if it is ever going to work. When inevitable issues occur, you will need their support to smooth out the kinks and ease resident angst.

What is the solution?

ATAHC takes each of these key components into account, as you implement this preventive-based approach. Active mattress liners, such as ActiveGuard, desiccant dust and bed bug monitors are all used, augmented by periodic inspection and elevated in importance by a heightened awareness of the problem at hand by all. Meanwhile, ATAHC management provides program quality assurance fundamental in the successful control and sustained low levels of bed bug activity long-term.

What’s in it for me, you ask? PMPs that embrace and partner with ATAHC have an opportunity to create a foothold in the $15 billion, untapped affordable housing market. ATAHC Certified PMPs enjoy an enormous service offering opportunity that improves scheduling efficiency and significantly reduces the time needed to resolve access issues commonly seen in the sector, while enjoying a level of cooperation between residents, staff and pest managers, heretofore unachieved.

Most importantly, it works. Learn more at ATAHCnow.com.