ATAHC™ unburdens housing authorities of the “bed bug battle” by delivering a turnkey solution to bed bug control, allowing re-assignment of personnel and financial resources toward other issues.
We are laser-focused on working with housing authorities to conduct our proven approach. Experts have almost universally stated that bed bugs are an unfortunate reality of living in affordable housing and that controlling them is impossible. We know residents deserve far better and was the driving force in creating the ATAHC Program.
No one should have to live with bed bugs!
ATAHC is the only property-wide, prevention-based, sustainable program that all but eliminates bed bugs in an affordable housing environment, improving the ‘Quality of Life’ of residents while reducing operational expenses for management.
How good is the ATAHC Program? We have a success rate of reducing bed bugs by greater than 95% in affordable housing. We subcontract highly trained and licensed pest managers who are experts in the treatment of bed bugs, to address problems rapidly and holding them accountable for their work. We have created our own #800 hotline number for residents to call 24/7 if they suspect bed bugs; we return these calls promptly. Most importantly, we maintain our presence and relationships with staff and residents. We don’t just treat and run. We remain involved.
There are a many of benefits that come from the ATAHC Program beyond the above accomplishments.
ATAHC:
Allergy Technologies’ ATAHC Program takes the responsibility of combatting bed bugs “off the plate” of housing authority management. Once contracted, as the Program Manager, we immediately collaborate closely with residents, staff, and pest management professionals to undertake property-wide clearance of bed bugs to non-detectable levels. The housing authority is kept apprised of progress, and the Program then implements a proven strategy of long-term prevention.
Our success is based upon proven strategic step-by-step process that has reduced bed bug populations down to near zero in multiple locations. Initially, we explain our Program through educational sessions for residents and staff in a manner sensitive to cultural and language diversity. We also work closely with social services to develop a program sensitive to seniors, those with physical or mental challenges, and minors. We are trained, and train ALL our hires, to respect, dignify and treat our residents compassionately. We have been able to cooperatively access rooms in our initial visits 95% of the time without requiring social services intervention or more aggressive forced entry, despite housing authorities designating ATAHC as a mandatory program.
Establishing a constant dialogue with residents to build genuine ‘trust’ is central to the process. Our ATAHC’s project managers are experts at efficiently organizing bed bug inspections, remediation, and preventive measure installation process required for success, and are driven by a specifically designed database allowing for real-time analysis. This information is provided transparently to housing authorities as part of their partnership with ATAHC.
Never has an outside organization asked how they can help us do our job better. ATAHC is a fantastic program that delivers results – virtually ZERO bed bugs. Beyond that, however, they work in a considerate manner with all residents and make sure to alert us if they develop concerns about any community members.
Every unit and common area is inspected via dogs specially trained to detect bed bugs; all canine positive alerts are then confirmed with visual inspections by a trained pest management professional. While grading infestation levels are important to determine the most appropriate treatment approach throughout the Program, at the outset, every unit confirmed as bed bug positive is treated with heat to reduce the bed bugs problem to the lowest, non-detectable level; what we call ‘bed bug zero.’ We follow each heated unit for 60 days before classifying the unit as successfully treated as part of our Quality Assurance/Quality Control process. We install preventive measures, such as active mattress liners, silica-based desiccant dust, and strategically placed monitors, in every unit regardless of their bed bug inspection status. Facility-wide prevention, coupled with periodic monitoring is the proven strategy to best ensure that these ‘bed bug zero’ units remain clear of any bed bug infestations.
We continue inspections of units every quarter (or every month in high-risk units where bugs have been previously detected). In the event of a new bed bug introduction, we conduct a minimally invasive, cost-effective, localized treatment limiting the disruption to both to residents and staff. This routinely averts a more widespread infestation before it establishes. These visits continue throughout the course of a typical five- or six-year Program engagement, during which we remain committed to staff, residents, and housing authorities.
Additionally, our work allows us to note common unit issues including general housekeeping status, excessive hoarding, changed door locks and other building-wide sanitation-related problems, enabling us to serve as “extra eyes” for managers.. Allergy Technologies details these non-bed bug issues as part of their progress reports to housing authorities so that they may be informed and therefore more efficient in addressing these problems.
As the ATAHC Program relies in large part on the engagement and performance of subcontracted pest management professionals, it holds each to the highest levels of transparency and accountability including attention to prompt remediation whenever required.
In aggregate, this work detailed under ATAHC supports our mission of improving residents’ ‘Quality of Life.’ Housing authorities enjoy residential goodwill and burnishes its reputation while freeing time and creating financial savings for other pressing non-bed bug matters.
What Are the Challenges in Eliminating Bed Bugs from Affordable Housing?
Allergy Technologies President Joseph Latino discusses the roles of the four main parties involved in the success of the ATAHC Program: public housing authorities, building management, pest management professionals, and community residents.
If your housing authority is not a member of the ATAHC Program, we would be happy to discuss “unburdening” you of the resource-intensive “bed bug battles.” We would enjoy the opportunity to discuss the effect of our Program on your communities and understand further your city’s concerns and situation. Please contact us at info@allergytechnologies.com for more information and a prompt reply. You can also visit our booth at NAHMA or NAHRO national conferences.