PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Metropolitan Housing Authority is responding to numerous complaints of bed bugs.
They are admitting the issue that's been going on for years. Many residents are elderly, disabled and don't have many other options as to where they live.
Some residents invited WKYC to the Washington Square apartments because they don't feel enough is being done about their biggest complaint.
"He's got a camera with him," said resident Walter Alford as he walked into resident Bernie Meek's place. "He wanted to show the bedbug problem."
"Yeah, I had a few last night," said Meek.
Both of these residents say the problem has been going on for at least four years.
"Here is a bloodstain from the bedbug right there. I don't try to keep them. I kill them and get rid of them. That's my blood, they are sucking my blood," Meek said.
Blood stains show on his sheets from the bed bugs that won't leave his apartment.
"The biggest thing is the way they breed," said Meek. "The bedbugs breed so fast that they cannot keep up with them. The old ones are dying out, but new ones keep breeding, so you get new ones coming in, and they are as tiny as they can be."
"All my clothes had bedbugs on it in the closet," said resident Sieglinde Bongrass. "I have three crawl on my pillow, when I said, 'What's this?'"
"I had them twice, they came and sprayed stuff, and then I got my own spray and that's how I keep them away" said Alford. "You can't get rid of them. You almost have to knockdown these walls or cover the whole building."
So what has Lake Metropolitan Housing Authority been doing about the problem?
Heres's what Chief Executive Officer Melissa Winfield said in an email statement:
"The Lake Metropolitan Housing Authority (Lake MHA) has received a number of complaints from its residents about bed bugs. We responded immediately and consulted experts in the field of bed bug treatment. For each reported incident we: (1) responded in a timely manner; (2) assessed the situation; and, (3) planned a course of treatment where required.
We initially had very few complaints. As the frequency of reported incidents began to increase, we purchased additional equipment and provided training for members of our maintenance team. The additional training and equipment has allowed our team members to provide extra coverage and support in partnership with licensed pesticide professionals.The well-being and comfort of Lake MHA's residents is our first priority. We will continue to immediately respond to each complaint and provide the appropriate solution."
"I've seen them with actual heat treatment vehicles outside, so there is evidence that there are making an effort to control them in their facilities," said Dan Lark, director of environmental health at Lake County General Health District.
Lark says the issues are unfortunately more common in lower income or government housing.
"Some of the management has complained that when they get rid of furniture, other residents are pulling it back out of the garbage and are bringing the bugs back in, so it's a 'He said, she said' and a little bit of an argument of where they are actually coming from," said Lark.
"You bring other furniture in, that costs money. You can afford to do that," said Meek. "I got to have my furniture. Not only that, you bring new furniture into this building. It's going to get re-infested anyhow, so what good does it do you to get rid of your old furniture?"
So what now? Building managers say they are constantly exterminating. Residents say it's not working.
Even the health department says the most they can do is educate, but are not allowed to get involved because the bugs do not transmit disease, they are simply a nuisance.
They do say if the complaints increase, they may have to change their rule book and get involved.