KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – The Victory Hills Apartments complex has been condemned. The apartment complex is dealing with an infestation of bedbugs.
County code enforcers declared the building “unfit for human habitation.” The bright pink notice was posted on the front window of the building on 70th Street.
Victory Hills is home to about 200 seniors. Several residents told KCTV5 the bugs have crawled into every aspect of their lives.
“They’re just everywhere,” said a woman who didn’t want to be identified. Her apartment infested. “I’ve been asking yes,” she said.
She said the problem is throughout the building. “I mean, they’re in the hallways,” she said. “You meet one on the elevator.”
The bug infestation has canceled all social activities and left residents isolated, effectively shutting down the facility.
“They removed most of the chairs, most of the furniture because of the bedbugs,” another resident said. “Closed the dining room.”
Last week, Wyandotte County Code Enforcers declared the building uninhabitable. The following statement was sent to KCTV5.
Residents said it’s not the first bedbug experience at the senior living complex.
“It’s a problem all the time, oh yeah,” one resident said. “And, it’s not going to be fixed in a day or two.”
They hope building management will come up with a solution to eradicate the bugs for good, because moving is not an option.
“Nobody’s going to want us if we move, because we’re just contaminated,” said the woman with the infested unit. “We’re taboo.”
Tutera Group, who manages the building, will be subject to an “unfit hearing” scheduled for Jan. 26. At the hearing, the property management must present a plan to get rid of the bedbugs.
KCTV5 contacted Tutera and we received the following statement:
