Implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program

1. Safe, decent, pest-free housing Implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program This presentation was developed by the Northeastern IPM Center in conjunction with the StopPests in Housing Program available at www.stoppests.org

2. Pests cause problems • Decrease job satisfaction • Lower resident satisfaction • Bite and sting • Contaminate food • Transmit disease • Hitchhike on belongings • Violate housing codes • Trigger/cause asthma and allergies • Lead people to overreact and ignore pesticide labels Cockroach infestation in a smoke detector

3. IPM fixes pest problems Healthier buildings: Fewer asthma attacks, less exposure to pesticides, and less stress about living and working with pests Fewer complaints: A Boston Housing Authority development reduced cockroach work orders by 68% after one year of IPM Fewer pests: You can stop infestations from growing and spreading disease

4. IPM defined In a structural setting, an IPM program consists of • inspection, • identification, • establishment of threshold levels, • employment of two or more control measures (which may be cultural, mechanical, biological, or chemical), and • evaluation of effectiveness (Adapted from the National Pest Management Association's Urban IPM Handbook, 2006)

5. Everyone has a role on the IPM team • Management oversees everyone, supports education efforts, and encourages communication among team members • Site staff make repairs to block pest entry and hiding • Contractors inspect, monitor, and apply pesticides when justified by pest presence • Residents prevent pest introduction, cooperate with IPM efforts, and maintain units so that pests cannot access food or water • Social service agencies provide resources and support

6. IPM program plan Convert the PHA to IPM—AMP by AMP, beginning with an IPM pilot site Inspect and monitor every unit to identify focus areas Train site IPM team members using resources from www.stoppests.org

7. IPM program plan continued Reduce pest infestation—Allocate pest control time and resources to solve pest problems in focus areas using the steps of IPM Reduce the risk of pest infestation—turn units over so that they are pest-free and sealed up, continue to educate staff and residents Aim for early detection and rapid response— continue to monitor and inspect

8. Priority pests • Cockroaches cause asthma in infants, trigger asthma attacks, and contaminate food • Rodents such as mice and rats carry diseases, bite, destroy property, may cause fires, and may trigger asthma attacks • Bed Bugs and their bites are a nuisance and are expensive to eliminate

9. Program costs • We currently pay $X per unit per month for pesticide spraying. Infestations persist. • We are budgeting $XX per unit per month for the first year of IPM. This includes • Materials for caulking and sealing holes • Free items for residents in need: cleaning supplies, mattress encasements, monitors, etc. • An IPM contract, including inspectionand monitoring

10. Expected program outcomes Increased cooperation and communication between management, staff, residents, and contractors Decreased pesticide applications Infestations limited to periodic introductions that establish—no high-level infestations Increased partnership with outside agencies PHA will be a community leader for pest-free initiatives

11. Next steps Complete this slide with the next steps for your specific IPM implementation program