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Technical Elements and Assistance The JCHA and public housing residents must exert best efforts to ensure a clean and healthy living environment throughout all JCHA public housing developments. These efforts must include effective pest control (of roaches, other insects, mice and other vermin). The following policies and practices are intended to mutually achieve effective pest control throughout JCHA public housing developments. The JCHA - will exert best efforts to ensure that grounds, common areas and community facilities are clean and free of any garbage or debris which would attract or provide a food source for insects or vermin. Areas in and around garbage dumpsters and litter containers and community facilities in which food is served will be given special attention. Residents - must exert best efforts to keep individual apartments clean and free of any garbage or debris which would attract or provide a food source for insects or vermin. Residents are also urged to report any knowledge of site conditions which would attract pests or of actual infestation by roaches, other insects, mice or other vermin. Residents are also encouraged to urge their neighbors to assist in keeping site grounds, common areas and public facilities as clean as possible, for example, place litter and non-household garbage in proper containers. The JCHA - will conduct monthly extermination of all apartments, common areas, basements and building exteriors. The extermination will be done by a JCHA Building Maintenance Worker who has been licensed by the State to perform the extermination work. Regular extermination schedules (usually by building) will be established by Site Housing Managers. Residents - must either be home or make arrangements to have someone else at their home during the scheduled extermination times, and must clear out areas which need special extermination treatment, such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets. If a resident cannot comply with this requirement, the resident must make special arrangements with their development's Housing Manager in advance of the scheduled extermination to ensure timely extermination. Within reasonable staffing and cost limitations, the JCHA will try to accommodate special circumstances. The JCHA - will periodically conduct intensive exterminations to better control persistent infestation problems and vulnerable areas, and to respond to special emergent circumstances, such as nearby construction (which tends to drive mice and vermin from existing burrows into nearby properties). These special treatments will be conducted by either licensed JCHA staff and/or private sector contractors. Residents - are urged to inform site management staff of particular problem areas and of changed conditions which may require special pest control treatment. The JCHA - will include pest control observations during all apartment inspections, during the completion of work orders, as well as conduct periodic resident surveys to find out if residents believe our policies and practices are effective. Residents - are urged to inform apartment inspectors and other JCHA staff or any infestation problems and to respond to JCHA resident surveys. The JCHA - has included extermination requirements as part of the Residential Lease provisions in order to ensure a healthy living environment; violations of extermination requirements will result in Notices to Cease and, if they persist, appropriate remedial action in court. TECHNICAL ELEMENTS AND ASSISTANCE The JCHA - will retain technical advisors, such as university professors expert in extermination methods, to periodically review JCHA pest control policy and practice. The JCHA - will use alternating methods of insect extermination, for example, chemical spraying and "combat" in order to offset insects formidable capacity for adaptability and immunity to extermination substances. The JCHA will ensure that extermination chemicals are all approved by State standards and, if safety warnings are required, that residents are fully aware of these cautions. The JCHA Agency Plan under Management and Operations includes a policy regarding Pest Control. The JCHA staff and residents must exert best efforts to ensure a clean and healthy living environment throughout all developments. These efforts must include effective pest control (of roaches, insects, mice and other vermin). One of the elements in improving control is to assign individuals to perform exterminating at each development. These individuals will be provided training and technical assistance, ultimately receiving State certification to perform pest control tasks. The following questions and answers will provide guidance and information regarding our pest control program and the role and responsibility of the staff and residents. Q. What is the JCHA's primary responsibility in this effort? A. The JCHA will exert best efforts to ensure that grounds, common areas and community facilities are clean and free of any garbage or debris which would attract or provide a food source for roaches and vermin.
Q. What is the resident's primary responsibility in this effort? A. Residents must exert best efforts to keep individual apartments clean and free of any garbage, debris or other sources that provide attraction for roaches or vermin.
Q. How often will the JCHA perform pest control treatment? A. The JCHA will conduct monthly extermination of all apartments, common areas, basements and building exteriors.
Q. Is it required that all residents receive treatment in their apartment? A. Yes. Residents have agreed as per their lease with the JCHA that they will maintain their apartment in good, safe and sanitary condition, one of which is a pest-free environment.
Q. Will residents be given notice of the date exterminating is to be done? A. Yes, flyers and individual notices will be provided to advise of the scheduled dates at least one week in advance.
Q. Does the resident have to be at home? A. If it is not possible for the resident to be at home, arrangements have to be made to allow staff to have access to perform the work. Within reasonable staffing and cost limitations, the JCHA will try to accommodate special circumstances.
Q. What preparation should be made by the resident prior to the exterminator arriving at the apartment? A. Areas such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets and any other areas that the resident requires special treatment in should be cleared of all items.
Q. Will the exterminator proceed if the areas are not prepared properly? A. It is most preferable that the resident prepare areas properly for treatment, but if that has not occurred the exterminator will proceed as best he/she can and later inform the Site Manager of the situation, who will follow-up with the resident appropriately.
Q. Will the resident's apartment be treated if the unit is found to be in a less than satisfactory housekeeping condition? A. No, the exterminator will inform the resident that he/she is not able to treat the areas appropriately and that the Site Manager will contact the resident to reschedule the apartment.
Q. Will the resident be required to provide access to the JCHA exterminator if they choose to use alternative services in their apartment? A. Yes, it is the responsibility of the JCHA to ensure that this service is provided and the responsibility of the resident to accept the treatment.
Q. What kind of treatment will be used? A. The JCHA will use alternating methods of insect extermination (spraying and bait placement) to offset the capacity for the development of an immunity to any particular method.
Q. How will the JCHA know if the pest control effort is effective? A. Periodic surveys will be provided requesting resident input regarding conditions in their unit and their observation of other areas. The JCHA will also retain technical advisors to review pest control policies and practice.
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