Senior housing facility in Homewood infested with bed bugs, residents say

PITTSBURGH — Family members say no notifications went out and there are no signs posted on the doors; but inside the Homewood House, a senior living home, there is a bed bug infestation, one so bad that it’s impacting an entire floor.

“The management staff is giving these [protective bodysuits] to you so that you can come and help,” said Gina Spruill.

Dressed in a white protective suit, Spruill began the difficult task of disinfecting her 84-year-old aunt’s apartment after she said it was infested by bed bugs. She sent Channel 11 News the photos she took inside.

“We have to do everything. We have to pack up everything she owns, you have to bag up everything, you have to throw out everything else, and if they lay eggs, bed bugs are atrocious,” Spruill said.

Over the weekend, she said management at the Homewood House told her the entire floor and other parts of the building may also be infested with bed bugs.

Now she worries, with management placing the responsibility on elderly tenants, that the issue will get worse.

“She has to get all of her belongings bagged up, packed up, thrown out whatever it takes to get rid of them,” she said.

Spruill said she wants to see the entire building proactively exterminated and cleaned regularly. She even called the Department of Health to see if they could help.

“They are old people, this is an entire building of old people, these people need help,” Spruill said.

We, too, made calls to the state and county health departments as well as the Department of Aging, but none of those entities oversee the facility.

The Department of Housing confirmed that the property is privately run by Lakeside Property Management Services LLC. We called and emailed the management services but got no response.

Spruill said she is frustrated.

“It’s embarrassing. How would you like to be sitting somewhere and people know you are living in a place with bed bugs? It’s horrible,” she said.

As for Spruill’s aunt, she took her to a nearby hotel until the bed bug issue was addressed properly.

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