quality of life

“Dear PoPville,

I’m writing after a long night of itching and anxiety. My house recently became infested with bedbugs. This is something I’ve NEVER experienced before until recently when my upstairs roommate complained that they were in her room. She called the landlord, and a he sent a guy over to spray and inspect. Just a few days later, they’re in my room and I’m getting bit. I’m trying to do all the right things — isolate my bed, double/triple wash and dry my clothes, purchasing natural remedies — but online research isn’t making me feel optimistic. I’ve complained to my landlord again, but he doesn’t seem to have any sense of urgency about this situation. I’m just getting really sad and anxious that this is going to go on for a long time, and I’ll have to stay covered up this summer so that people don’t see my bites.

Have you heard of any success stories or remedies that worked PERMANENTLY for people in DC getting rid of bed bugs?”

Ed. Note: We first spoke about one reader’s experience with bed bugs in 2010 and Tony’s battle with them shortly thereafter. We spoke about them here in 2011 and most recently last summer.

Photo by PoPville flickr user philliefan99

“Dear PoPville,

As I was driving into work this morning from Brookland, I smelled a terrible smell. It lasted all the way down North Capitol Street, nearly to the Capitol. It smelled like a trash can had dumped over somewhere and the stench was covering a huge part of the city. My husband said he could smell it at the NoMa metro. Anyone else notice this or know what’s going on?”

This is one of at least a half dozen I’ve received since last week. A reader sends this one from an alley in Shaw.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Michael Horsley

“Dear PoPville,

I’m wondering if anyone has advice on a homeless woman who has been parked outside of my apartment building on and off for the past couple of months. I’ve contacted the landlord, we’ve tried to get her into a homeless shelter and we’ve been successful a few times but she always comes back to our building within a few days. Multiple people from my building and the building next door have called the police but they said the only thing they can do is ask her to move off of the property. So then she just moves to the sidewalk in front of the building. She seemed harmless at first but recently the trash has been piling up and she’s been relieving herself in the tree boxes.

Tonight, I was out walking my dog and she started threatening me saying things like “I’m going to beat your ass” and “what the f*ck you looking at? I’ll kill you, bitch.” It was to the point where my dog was cowering behind me (granted, she’s a wimp) and a random passerby had to offer to help me get into my building. I got into my building, the stranger left and closed the door behind him and the homeless woman was banging on the apartment building door trying to get in and yelling obscenities.

I called the police and they said they would come talk to her but that there’s not really much they can do since they can’t arrest her and she can just walk out of a homeless shelter even if they find one that can take her in. I feel for her and realize that it’s just as much a mental health issue as it is a homelessness issue, and we have tried to help her, but tonight has brought it to the point where I no longer feel safe or comfortable walking into my building when she is around. Any advice on what to do?”

Ed. Note: I think we spoke about a similar situation not too long ago – but I can’t seem to find – if a better searcher than I can find the link and post it here I’d appreciate it. Also as in other similar situations perhaps the DC Mental Health Mobile Response Team could intervene:

Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES): 202-673-9319 (24hrs, 7 days per week)
Mobile Crisis Services (MCS): 202-673-9300 (9am -1am, 7 days per week)
Homeless Outreach Program (HOP): 202-673-9124 (9am -8pm , M-F)

Photo by PoPville flickr user angela n.

@zoeica tweets us the photo above this morning:

“Lots of graffti showing up in Capitol Hill this morning.This is on N. Carolina SE”

I’ve also been noticing lots of graffiti all over town. Have others noticed an increase?

From U Street: