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City of Chicago Bed Bug Ordinance

City of Chicago Bed Bug Ordinance. Passed on June 5, 2013 an it will go into effect in December 2013.
Here are some highlights of the ordinance. You can view the full text here

 Bed bugs have been declared to be a public nuisance.

Landlord Responsibility:

  1. In any rental unit where an infestation of bed bugs is found or suspected, it is the responsibility of the landlord to:
    • Provide pest control services by a pest management professional as many times as necessary to totally eliminate the bed bug infestation.
    • Maintain a written record of the pest control measures performed by the pest management professional on the rental unit and receipts and reports prepared by the pest management professional. The record shall be open to inspection by authorized city personnel, including but not limited to employees of the departments of health and buildings.
    • Inspect and if necessary, the treatment of the two dwelling units on either side of the affected dwelling unit and the two units directly above and below the affected dwelling unit. This pattern of inspection and treatment shall be continued until no further infestation is detected.
    • Prior to inspection or treatment for bed bug infestation, the landlord shall send a written notice to the tenant of a dwelling unit being inspected or treated which advises the tenant of the tenant’s responsibilities under this section and sets forth the specific preparations required by the tenant.
  2. It shall be unlawful to rent a unit in which an infestation of any bed bugs is discovered or suspected, unless an inspection by the pest management professional has determined that no such infestation exists or the infestation has been exterminated.
  3. Prior to any tenant entering into or renewing a rental agreement for a dwelling unit the landlord shall provide to such tenant the informational brochure on bed bug prevention and treatment.

Tenant Responsibility

  1.  A tenant shall immediately notify, in writing, the landlord of any known or suspected bed bug infestation in the presence of the tenant’s dwelling unit, clothing, furniture or other personal property located in the building, or of any recurring or unexplained bites, stings, irritation, or sores of the skin or body which the tenant suspects is caused by bed bugs.
  2.  The tenant shall cooperate with the landlord in the control, treatment and eradication of bed bug infestation found or suspected to be in the tenant’s rental unit. As part of that cooperation, the tenant shall:
    • not interfere with inspections or treatments:
    • grant access at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice to the tenant’s rental unit for purposes of bed bug infestation inspection or treatment:
    • make any necessary preparations, such as cleaning, dusting or vacuuming, prior to treatment in accordance with any pest management professional’s recommendations: and
    • dispose of any personal property that cannot be treated or cleaned before the treatment of the tenant’s dwelling unit.

Condominium and cooperative buildings-plan for treatment of bed bugs.

The governing association or board of directors of each condominium or cooperative building shall prepare a pest management plan for the detection, inspection and treatment of bed bugs in the building. The plan shall include the same provisions as the landlord responsibilities and require notification to the department of health of any known or suspected bed bug infestation within any part of the building. The governing association or board of directors shall maintain written records of any pest control measures performed by a pest management professional in the building retained by the association or board of directors and any report prepared by the pest management professional. The plan and records shall be maintained either on-site in the building or at the condominium’s or cooperative’s property management office and be open to inspection upon request by authorized city personnel, including but not limited to employees of the departments of health and buildings.

Disposal of furnishings, bedding, clothing or other materials infested with bed bugs

No person shall place, discard or dispose of any furniture, bedding, clothing or other material infested with bed bugs in the person’s refuse container or dumpster for refuse collection, unless, the infested object is first totally enclosed in a plastic bag and labeled as being infested with bed bugs.

Sale of secondhand bedding

Every person who sells at retail any secondhand bedding shall post in a conspicuous location by the secondhand bedding a written notice that the bedding is made in whole or part from secondhand material or was previously owned or used.

Violation-penalties

The commissioner of health and the commissioner of buildings shall have joint authority to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this article.

Any person who is found in violation of this article shall be fined not less than $300.00 nor more than $1.000.00 for each offense. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense to which a separate fine shall apply.

 

 

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