Move over Airbnb, because New York City has a new enemy.
New legislation being introduced in the New York City Council this week aims to crack down on bed bugs, the New York Daily News reported.
The bill, which is being introduced by Councilman Rafael Espinal (D-Brooklyn), would require New York City hotels to have exterminators inspect all their rooms for bed bugs once every six months. Espinal's efforts come on the heels of a Daily News report that found bed bug sightings at New York hotels jumped 44 percent between 2014 and 2015.
"Everyone hates bedbugs - they prey on human flesh and cause huge expenses," Espinal told the Daily News. "Tenants, homeowners, and businesses pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars to exterminate an infestation and replace damaged furniture and clothing."
"We as a city have to be proactive to inform New Yorkers where the problem is occurring, and protect New Yorkers or tourists who stay in hotels."
The legislation will undoubtedly come as welcome news for visitors to New York City, who will most likely be rooting for it to be passed into law. After all, the nightmarish bed bug experience of one California couple visiting the Big Apple for New Year's went viral earlier this year.
[READMORE] READ MORE: Don't Let the Bedbug Hysteria Bite [/READMORE]
The disturbing incident took place at Manhattan's Astor on the Park hotel.
"We were expecting a vacation to remember the rest of our lives, and we will definitely remember it for the rest of our lives, but it won't be a pleasant memory," Elgin Ozlen told ABC 7 at the time.
In addition to the twice-per-year mandatory hotel inspections, Espinal plans to introduce another bill that would require New York City to publish annual reports detailing bed bug complaints and violations in city apartment buildings.
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