The Board of Supervisors finds and declares the following:
(a) Tenants, property owners and Pest Control Operators ("PCO") have distinct rights and responsibilities regarding bed bug infestations.
(b) Effective abatement is more likely to occur when tenants, property owners and PCOs are properly trained with a baseline curriculum.
(c) Female bed bugs can produce over 500 eggs in a lifetime and infestations can double in number every 16 days.
(d) Bed bug egg mortality is very low, with approximately 97% of the bed bug eggs hatching successfully.
(e) Bed bug infestations may go unnoticed for 6 months or more due to their particular life cycle, and the fact that they are dormant for long periods of time after feeding.
(f) Bed bugs can live up to 18 months and effective abatement can require multiple treatments.
(g) The City and County of San Francisco ("City") identifies bed bug infestations as a public nuisance.
(h) A prevalence of bed bug infestations exist in San Francisco residential hotels, posing a significant health hazard and public nuisance.
(i) Bed bugs cannot be solely abated by members of the public, and travel through ventilation and electrical systems in multi-unit establishments causing exponential infestations.
(j) Bed bug infestations spread more quickly in densely populated areas.
(k) Tenants have an interest in the bed bug history of potential rental units, and may make decisions on whether to rent based on that information.
(l) All involved parties have interest in certifying that bed bug infestations are effectively abated.
(m) The true number of bed bug infestations in the City is unknown to the Department of Public Health and the public, but can be more closely approximated by reports from PCOs.
(n) Bed bug infestations negatively impact the mental and emotional health of affected persons.
(o) Bed bug infestations require considerable time, effort and money to abate.
(p) San Francisco has a high percentage of low-income residents who are financially unable to combat the bed bug problem independently.
(q) Increased media attention on bed bug infestations potentially negatively effects tourism.
(r) Abatement costs can be expensive, and strict enforcement is required to ensure that all parties fulfill their respective responsibilities.
(Added by Ord. 229-12, File No. 120815, App. 11/14/2012, Eff. 12/14/2012)