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Commission hears proposal for 'pest‑free' grant to support remediation, education and landlord coordination
Summary
Commissioner Jessica Martin outlined a proposed pest‑remediation and education grant that would subsidize treatment, provide outreach and create a stakeholder committee; members supported outreach to landlords and development of a committee and public workshops.
Commissioner Jessica Martin presented a proposal for a local "pest‑free" grant program aimed at reducing building‑wide infestations through coordinated remediation, education and landlord engagement.
Martin said the core problem is lack of education and resource gaps among landlords and residents. She described a model that would combine remediation funding, educational resources, and compliance requirements so landlords who participate commit to follow‑through, and suggested the commission invite several pest‑control companies rather than rely on a single contractor.
Martin recommended forming a small working committee that would include pest‑control experts, landlords, tenant representatives and community members. She proposed public meetings—potentially in the public library theater—to gather landlord input and surface implementation details. She said successful remediation commonly takes six to nine months in buildings where all parties participate, and that a multi‑year effort may be required in heavily infested stock.
Commissioners supported the idea of preliminary outreach and asked Martin to recruit potential participating companies and community representatives. Martin said pro bono legal support might be helpful later in the program design to craft deed or lease language and enforcement mechanisms.
