Tenants have handled ongoing bedbug infestation points at KCK house constructing

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) — A pastor is speaking out hoping to help seniors living in an apartment building infested with bedbugs.

Cindy Boyer, pastor of Victory Hills Baptist Church, said the bug problem at Victory Hills Apartments has been ongoing for about three years.

Victory Hills previously operated as a self-contained senior living complex. In 2019 it was converted into an affordable apartment building. Many seniors still living at the facility said they were dealing with another bed bug infestation.

“It’s a big crisis for these people,” Boyer said.

Earlier Reporting: KCK retirement home declared ‘unlivable’ due to bug infestation

According to Boyer, several renters are stopping coming to the church because of concerns about spreading bugs because their homes are infested. Boyer no longer goes into the building to lead practice groups. When delivering food for elderly residents, she does not enter the building.

“One of the floors is so infected that you can see bed bugs on the ceiling in the open areas,” Boyer said. “People couldn’t visit family at Christmas time.”

She said the issue was affecting the health of several tenants.

“One has a wheelchair that doesn’t work well. She wasn’t able to go to the doctor because the transportation services didn’t want to transport people with bugs,” Boyer said. “We also tried to get a home health agency to do an assessment but they didn’t come either because of the bed bug problems.”

The Unified Government’s Property Maintenance Compliance Division received eight complaints from residents and their families. They also received confirmation of the current infestation from the on-site management. An inspector issued a notice saying no one will be allowed to live at the facility until the issue is resolved if there is no plan through a notice of the inappropriate hearing on Jan. 26.

“I hope there’s a long-term fix,” Boyer said. “There is hardly any affordable housing. Many senior living facilities have waiting lists.”

According to code enforcement staff, they don’t want to oust a single tenant, but encourage those responsible to resolve the issue as soon as possible to ensure the health and safety of all residents and their families.

KCTV5 News reached out to Tutera Group, which manages the building. A spokesman said they are preparing a plan to be submitted to the unitary government for approval: “Even if the unitary government approves the action plan, Victory Hills is working directly with residents whose units are impacted to ensure they are accommodated , while Victory Hills conducts the pest control operations needed to eradicate the bed bugs.”

Full statements are below:

“Our office was made aware of a possible bed bug infestation at the Victory Hills Senior Living Center last week. During the week we received at least 8 complaints from residents and some of their family members. This information was confirmed by the management of the facility on site. Knowing this, we have decided to report the property as uninhabitable. The property was posted by our inspector on Friday 01/06/2023 and a notice of unfitness to hear was sent this morning Monday 01/09/2023.

The notice has been sent to the owners of the facility and states that an administrative hearing is scheduled for Thursday, 1/26/2023 at the Neighborhood Resource Center between representatives of the United Government’s Property Maintenance Compliance Division and the owners/representatives of Victory Hills Senior Citizens’ Living Center. On or before the date of the hearing, we are asking the facility owner/manager to provide us with a comprehensive plan to address the building’s vermin problem. The poster on the property states Friday, January 27th, 2023 as the date of eviction. If no plan is in place at the time of the hearing, that eviction date will be enforced by our office and no one will be allowed to reside at the facility until the issue is resolved. However, it is not our desire to oust even one tenant from Victory Hills.

It is our intention, with the publication of the property as unsuitable, that notification obliges those responsible to resolve this issue as quickly as possible for the health, safety and welfare of all residents and their families. We have also been in touch with a number of our community partners such as the Department of Housing and the Office of Veterans Affairs to update their awareness of the actions we are taking and our hope for the best possible outcome for all involved.”

Patrick Holton – UG NRC code enforcement

“Background: In November 2019, Victory Hills ceased operations as a self-contained living and assisted living facility for seniors, at which time Victory Hills was converted into an affordable apartment building. Since the remodel, Victory Hills has undergone significant renovations and re-letting in the community.

Victory Hills received notification from the United Government late in the afternoon of January 6, 2023 of a bed bug infestation occurring primarily on the 5th floor of the apartment building. As part of the affordable housing transition, Victory Hills is committed to various community housing programs to address the housing needs in the community of Kansas City, Kansas, and Victory Hills is committed to providing this service and promptly resolving this issue for those affected residents inside the building.

A Victory Hills representative met with United Government officials this morning regarding this notice and we are preparing an action plan to be implemented for their review and approval to address this issue. In fact, even pending United Government approval of the action plan, Victory Hills is working directly with residents whose units are impacted to ensure they are housed while Victory Hills implements the pest control measures needed to eradicate the bed bugs.”

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