About NYC's Bed Bug Problem...

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, bridge and tunnel people, yuppies and hipsters, couch-surfers and super swank hotel patrons alike, the NYC bed bug epidemic is — WAIT FOR IT — almost over. (Cut to a grainy wide shot of people cheering belligerently at the World Cup while Ode To Joy blares in the background.) Yup, according to the New York Post, the number of bedbug infestations has dropped by more than half. Commence rejoicing.

OK, so it’s not entirely over — but clearly we’re on the right path. During the 2010 fiscal year (at the peak of the epidemic), 846 bedbug infestation violations were reported, according to the Department of Housing Prevention and Development. Since October of 2013? Just 381. Citywide, number of bedbug violations has dropped from 4,808 in 2010, to just 2,268 in 2013. I’m no expert, but those numbers look extremely promising — and are doing wonders for my sanity.

Just to put things in perspective, in 2010, the epidemic in New York City was so bad it earned the city a label as the most bedbug-infested city in the United States, Reuters reports. Hotels and retail stores like Victoria’s Secret were affected. People were scared to hug each other. Even Bill Clinton’s Harlem office was infested. In other words: the bed bugs were winning.

But now, we are. Eric Bederman, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing Prevention and Development, tells the Post that the drop in numbers has to do with residents becoming more informed about bedbugs:

“As opposed to just a few years ago, people are now considerably more vigilant, and there is more and better information available to the general public regarding how to prevent and deal with infestations.”

Like I said, we’re clearly on the right path here. And soon, the bedbug epidemic will be (hopefully) actually over — and it will be glorious. It will be glorious for Manhattan residents, for Brooklynites, for those with dreams of living in New York, for stressed out roommates of people who just “stayed on ‘some guy’s’ couch in Brooklyn and it was soooo awesome!”… well, just everyone. Get excited.

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